Scammer duo caught while attempting one more heist

Two men from the mainland, wanted for a series of fraudulent activities, were finally caught with the help of a supermarket worker in the San Kio district. The suspects were wanted for participation in at least three confirmed frauds and a few more failed attempts that had also been reported to the authorities, including fraudulent money changing while paying for goods at convenience stores and supermarkets.

A Public Security Police Force (PSP) spokesperson said this week during a press conference that the men used the same “modus operandi” to try to scam the shops. They entered the shops and tried to purchase cheap items using high value bank bills (MOP500 or MOP1,000). This would result in the cashiers asking them if they had smaller bills or coins, and they would take back the initial payment while pretending to search for coins. Upon not finding smaller change, they would request for change for the larger bank note.

According to three shops, the men had successfully defrauded them of close to MOP1,500. In other cases, the cashiers noted the scam and refused to give any change.

Warned already about the occurrence of such a scam in other shops, a worker from a supermarket located in the Rua de Inácio Pessoa tried to stall one of the criminals while attempting to inform his supervisor. Acknowledging he had been caught, the man ran from the supermarket but was immediately chased by the shop staff until they apprehended him and called for help from the police.

Taken into custody, the man then exposed his brother. Both were presented to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) on September 3 for fraud.

In an unrelated case, a pair of Indonesian men were also caught after stealing a handbag and a mobile phone from a car seat.

According to the MP report, the men spotted a car parked in the street with one of the windows open. Inside the vehicle on the passenger seat was a handbag and a mobile phone belonging to a local woman.

After the victim filed a complaint to the police, officers sought and reviewed video footage from surveillance cameras from shops in the location and were able to identify the men.

They were finally caught by the police at their home located in Beco das Caixas in Central Macau, and presented to the MP on September 1, accused of theft.