Crime | PJ recovers HKD600,000 from robbed gambler

The Judiciary Police (PJ) has reportedly recovered the sum of HKD600,000 that was stolen from a casino player, a PJ spokesperson said yesterday during a press conference held at the Public Security Police Force (PSP) headquarters.

The case was initially reported by the security of a casino located in Cotai on May 3. Security received the complaint from the player who said that a group of men had stolen a total of six gaming chips (HKD100,000 each).

One of the members of this group was caught by the casino security staff and was then delivered to the authorities.

A total of six were found in different locations, as well as three within the casino area. Further investigation led to an apartment where the last two were found. The sum stolen from the player was found in their possession, already converted into cash.

According to the PJ, the six men coordinated their efforts. While some were sneaking the chips away, others were overseeing the operation so it would not be spotted by the security, other members of the group  would be in charge of exchanging the stolen chips for cash.

All six men originated from the mainland and are aged between 25 and 39 years old.

In an unrelated case, the PJ also informed of an unusual case involving the selling of fake gold rings in local pawnshops.  Presently, police believe that the three cases are unrelated as it was found by two different pawnshops that three alleged gold rings were in fact fakes.

The cases go back as far as November 3 last year when the first ring was pledged, granting the suspect a sum of HKD4,500. A different shop also reported similar losses in late November and December last year when different men pledged similar rings, taking with them the amount of HKD5,000 each.

The rings were only discovered to be fakes by the two shops between April and May of this year, reporting the cases to the PJ that is currently investigating them separately.

Another pawnshop also reported the loss of HKD138,000 last Saturday. A man went in and asked to see two watches. As the shopkeeper handed them to the man, he put one on the wrist and while checking the other, left the shop suddenly, taking one of the watches with him.

The shopkeeper said he ran out to try to find him but could not locate him. The case is also still under investigation.