Crime | Local student commits multiple house robberies

A 19-year-old local student has been charged with aggravated robbery after he was identified as the main suspect in two recently reported house robberies, the Judiciary Police (PJ) revealed during yesterday’s joint police press conference.

The cases were reported to the police on the morning of Nov. 23 by the owners of two shops located in the northern district. The shops’ power distribution boxes were damaged. Together, the two owners reported a total loss of MOP7,000 and HKD3,000.

The PJ determined that both crimes had been performed by the same person using CCTV surveillance footage.

On the same day as the crimes were reported, the PJ visited the identified suspect’s residence in Coloane, where the suspect, surnamed Chou, confessed to the crimes. According to Chou, after the shop staff had left he damaged the electricity distribution box before breaking in.

The money he stole from the two shops was allegedly gambled away in a casino.

Later, police discovered that three similar robberies had been reported by shops last June. The police then found that Chou had committed all the robberies and he had been convicted of the crimes. After this, Chou was ordered by the court to report periodically to the police.

This time, the police charged the young local resident with aggravated robbery.

In the first half of this year, a total of 28 crimes committed by juveniles was recorded.  The 28 cases involved 50 young people, representing 28 more compared to the same period in 2017.

The increase is mainly due to cases of fighting (10), while four were arson cases.

Fire exposes illegal employment

A FIRE triggered by a cigarette butt has exposed another incidence of illegal employment, according to PJ.  The fire took place in a shop located in the Barra area. The suspect is a local resident (49) and owner of a renovation company. While the police were investigating the fire, they discovered that the suspect had hired two non-local residents who were working on his current project. Another local man (61) was also found to be involved in the illegal employment case. The police charged the two with illegal employment. The 49-year-old man was also charged for triggering a fire alarm

Local man charged after beating up his girlfriend

AN UNEMPLOYED 40-year-old man has been charged with illegal imprisonment and the physical assault of a mainland woman. The woman (29, unemployed) was the suspect’s girlfriend. On Nov. 25, the suspect, after consuming alcohol, got involved in a fight with his girlfriend. That same afternoon, the suspect beat up the victim, causing injuries to her left eye, the loss of one front tooth and several facial bruises. He also threatened her if she reported his actions to the police. However, that night, the victim fled their apartment and reported the man to the police. The man is charged with offences against the woman.