A local woman was arrested for stealing two Thai Buddha amulets worth about 8,000 patacas (US$1,000), Public Security Police (PSP) spokesman Wong Wai Chon said during yesterday’s regular press conference.
The 32-year-old suspect surnamed Lo told the police that she is jobless.
According to Wong, a Buddha amulet shop owner reported to the police on July 5 that a woman had stolen two Buddha amulets from her shop that day. The victim told the police that the suspect had visited her shop with a young girl three times within about 10 minutes in Rua de Francisco Xavier Pereira.
The suspect bought two necklaces the third time she visited the shop. The owner grew suspicious of Lo’s behaviour and checked her shop’s CCTV footage which showed that Lo had stolen two necklaces worth 2,600 patacas and 5,350 patacas respectively during the three visits to the shop.
After scrutinising the CCTV footage, PSP officers discovered that Lo stole one necklace from the display window on her first visit to the shop, and the other necklace from the display cabinet on the second visit. Each time the shop owner was busy with other customers. When Lo entered the shop the third time she bought two necklaces, according to Wong.
Wong said PSP officers discovered that Lo lives in a building in Estrada dos Cavaleiros in the Barrier Gate area and went to her flat last Wednesday to investigate. The officers seized the two stolen necklaces, one of which she was wearing, while the other was in her handbag. Lo told the police that she stole the necklaces because of greed.
Lo has been transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP), facing a theft charge.
This undated handout photo provided by the Public Security Police (PSP) yesterday shows evidence seized from the suspect such as two stolen Thai Buddha amulets and the suspect’s handbag.
This undated handout photo provided by the Public Security Police (PSP) yesterday shows PSP officers escorting the theft suspect in the corridor of a police station.
