A Filipino robbed his ex-girlfriend of her handbag after a quarrel last week, Public Security Police (PSP) spokesman Choi Iok Kin said during a regular press conference yesterday.
According to Choi, the suspect was arrested on Friday when the police also recovered the victim’s handbag, her smartphone and work permit (“blue card”), as well as 5,400 patacas in cash.
The suspect is a non-resident worker in his twenties surnamed Chantengco who works as a hotel room attendant.
According to Choi, the victim, whose surname was not released, reported the case to the police on Thursday at about 9:30 p.m. She told the police that she had met her ex-boyfriend in Rua da Ilha Verde at about 8 p.m. where they had a row over their troubled relationship.
The victim then caught a bus and the suspect followed her. When they got off the bus in the city centre, Chantengco snatched her handbag and ran away in the direction of Rua de S. Domingos. The victim gave chase but failed to catch him so she reported the case to the police.
Choi said the police searched the areas near the suspect’s flat, workplace and the crime scene, based on information provided by the victim.
At about 12:30 a.m. on Friday, police officers saw a Filipino carrying a handbag which looked similar to the victim’s. They intercepted him and searched the handbag which contained the victim’s “blue card”, cash and other belongings. The Filipino told the police that he was helping his friend hand in the handbag to the Tourist Police station in Rua de S. Domingos.
According to Choi, the police continued searching the areas and arrested Chantengco an hour later. Chantengco confessed to the robbery and told the police that as he knew that his ex-girlfriend had reported the case to the police, he asked his friend to take the handbag to the police station as he did not want to see her.
Chantengco was transferred to the Public Prosecution (MP) on Friday, facing a robbery charge.
This handout photo provided by the Public Security Police (PSP) yesterday shows evidence seized from the robbery suspect such as his ex-girlfriend’s handbag, her smartphone and cash.
