2 Pinoy pickpockets almost get away with $100,000

The District Court in Wan Chai

A District Court judge convicted two Filipino pickpockets who almost got away with $100,000 from a bus commuter in Tsim Sha Tsui (TST).

District Court Judge Yiu on September 13 sentenced Wilson F. Lacharon, a tricycle driver, and Joseph Erwin T. Dacidilla, a carpenter, to prison after they were caught at a bus stop on Gillies Avenue South.

“Theft is a serious offense, particularly pickpocketing. The defendants acted in concert. The facts are serious,” Judge Yiu said.

He sentenced Lacharon to 18 months in prison while Dacidilla was ordered jailed for 28 months after he pleaded guilty to the additional charges of breach of deportation order and making a false representation to an immigration officer.

It turned out that Dacidilla was deported back to the Philippines only last year after being jailed for theft. He was banned from coming back to Hong Kong.

Judge Yiu said the incident happened at around 4:30 p.m. on May 11 after the victim, a certain Mr. Yu, withdrew $100,000 from a bank in Hung Hom, and put the money in an envelope.

The victim boarded a bus going to TST. Inside the bus, Lacharon stood on his left while Dacidilla was on his right.

When they got to the bus stop at Gillies Avenue South, the victim noticed Lacharon tapping his left leg.

He then heard someone tell the bus driver not to drive away while Lacharon got off the bus.

The victim noticed that the envelope containing his money was no longer in his pocket, while outside, policemen had collared Lacharon.

It turned out that the police officers had noticed that the defendants were acting suspiciously and so they followed the bus.

But when they searched Lacharon, he did not have the missing envelope with the money. The victim then noticed Dacidilla drop something near the bottom of the stairs of the double-decker bus. It was the missing envelope with the cash.

The defendants’ lawyer asked the court for leniency, saying that the two were remorseful about what happened.

He said Lacharon, 42, had two children back in the Philippines and earned only P4,500 a month from his job as a tricycle driver.

On the other hand, Dacidilla, 44, earned P6,500 a month from his carpentry work but had to take care of his family of eight, including his parents.