Persistent car thief detained for stealing and defrauding

Police have detained a 28-year-old unemployed Macau resident male in connection with the theft and fraud of goods worth HKD320,000.

On July 15, the Judiciary Police received a referral from the Public Security Police Force regarding a theft from a vehicle. The victim, a local man, had parked his private car in a public parking lot in North District on the morning of July 13. When he returned to his car on July 15 at around 9 a.m., he discovered his watch – valued at HKD320,000 – was missing and suspected it had been stolen.

After an investigation, police identified the suspect as Chan, a 28-year-old unemployed resident of Macau. According to the investigation, Chan stole the watch from the parking lot on July 15 and pawned it at a shop in New Port for HKD25,000. He used the money to gamble at a nearby casino, losing everything. He then borrowed money from a friend to redeem the watch and pawned it again, this time at a shop in Central, receiving HKD180,000. He again lost the full amount gambling.

Police succeeded in retrieving the watch from the second pawn shop. The shop demanded that the perpetrator be held criminally liable. On July 17 at 1:30 p.m., criminal investigation officers intercepted Chan near the Areia Preta area and brought him in for further questioning.

Chen reportedly has a lengthy criminal history. Records show a previous prison sentence for theft at the end of 2020, with his release in June 2023. However, he did not remain out of trouble for long. In September 2023, police arrested Chen again for another theft. Separately, in January and June 2024, Chen was arrested twice more – both times for theft from vehicles. In each instance, he was transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office.

Based on the investigation’s findings, police believe Chan committed the theft in this case as well. The bureau will transfer the case to the Public Prosecutions Office to press charges of theft and major fraud against Chan.

Victoria Chan