Crime

Three suspects arrested for thefts at Cotai shops, two others at large

On May 6, the Public Security Police Force (PSP) arrested three people at two locations for separate thefts concerning two different clothing stores in Cotai, the PSP told a press conference yesterday.

All of the apprehended suspects are Mongolian citizens. The police did not disclose the nationality of the remaining two, who are at large.

The first case involved a man, 34, and a woman, 36, who reportedly entered Macau on the morning of the alleged theft.

The police said that at about 3 p.m. on May 6, officers on regular patrol saw the duo “sneakily” leave a shop in a Cotai shopping mall with a bag.

The police said the duo stopped at the entrance of a washroom and counted clothing from the bag. The police confronted them, and they admitted to stealing them from the shop.

The police later learned the duo had been in the shop for nearly an hour.

The shopkeeper confirmed the 15 pieces of clothing were unpaid merchandise with a price of MOP3,000.

In another case, a shopkeeper of a clothing store in the same Cotai mall contacted the PSP on May 4, reporting that surveillance cameras had captured an alleged theft conducted by three people – two men and a woman – at 5:45 p.m. the same day.

According to the shopkeeper, a man had taken 20 pieces of clothing worth MOP5,700, while the other two people took three pieces worth MOP1,800.

After preliminary investigations, the PSP confirmed the three people had left Macau through the Border Gate checkpoint the same evening.

At 11 a.m. on May 6, the man who allegedly stole 20 pieces of clothing reentered Macau and returned to the same shop. The police intercepted him at the store.

The 50-year-old admitted to the theft and to selling the goods in Zhuhai. He also confessed he returned to the shop to steal more.

However, the man denied knowing the other two people.

PJ logs sham currency exchange, cash wire services

Two men have fallen victim in fraudulent currency exchange services, the Judiciary Police (PJ) has announced.

The two victims are 25 and 37 years old. The former is a mainland resident while the latter is local. Both had tried to exchange currency with their friends and have lost contact with the scammer since then.

The younger victim reported losing MOP4,600 and the elder MOP715,000. The PJ said the local resident desired to exchange his Macau patacas for Chinese yuan.

The police added that both cases have connections with casino practices.

In another case, a Burmese woman lost some MOP4,500 in a fraudulent money wire transfer. The woman had come to Macau for work.

In March this year, the victim was introduced to a person by a friend. She was told the person, also a non-local worker from Myanmar, could help wire transfer money from Macau to Myanmar.

As banks in Macau do not operate wire transfer to her home country, the victim had contacted the person for assistance. The factor that convinced her to do so is that she had successfully wired money home through this person.

At about 6 p.m. on May 4, the victim transferred MOP4,573 to the person via mobile banking, who asked her to wait upon confirming receipt of the money.

Since then, the person has not contacted her. She tried to call her using messenger apps, but the person did not answer. She checked with her family and was told no funds had been received.

Thinking she might have lost the money to a scammer, she reported the incident to the police.

Woman fined for throwing numerous objects from above

A woman in her 30’s was fined for twice throwing various objects from above the Pak Vai parking lot entrance Tuesday, the Public Security Police Force (PSP) has announced.

She was prosecuted under the Public Space General Regulations.

No pedestrian was injured, but the incidents prompted closure of parking lot entry.

At about 9 a.m. on May 9, the police received reports of falling objects at the location. According to video footage that went viral, objects – either shattered, damaged or complete – were seen at the location as more objects were being thrown from above.

Police unsuccessfully investigated the apartment. As the throwing had stopped, cleaners were called to clear the debris.

At about 11 a.m., the location was reopened.

At about 2 p.m., the throwing resumed. Several items of clothing and bedding materials were seen on the ground, according to local media Macao Daily News.

The location was reopened at 2:45 p.m. after being cleared.

Police located the woman in a nearby apartment and issued a fine. However, the police did not disclose the reason behind the throwing. AL

Categories Headlines Macau