Pinay fined $10K for stealing FDH’s wallet

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Tsuen Wan Magistracy

A Filipino domestic worker was fined $10,000 for stealing the wallet of a fellow helper in a remittance center in Tsuen Wan.

Magistrate Andrew Mok on October 17 ordered Lorna C.M. to pay a fine of $10,000 after she admitted to stealing the wallet of Myrna S.M., 42, at Lik Sang Plaza. The victim’s wallet contained $5,164.

“I believe this court experience has taught you a very serious lesson. Theft is a very serious offense,” Judge Mok told the defendant, who was accompanied in court by her female employer.

“I take into account that this is not a case of pickpocketing but taking a property that was left there. Therefore, I give you a chance and I’m imposing a fine of $10,000,” the magistrate said.

“You can pay the fine in two months’ time,” he added.

According the prosecution’s amended brief facts report on the case, the incident happened on the morning of August 7, the first Sunday of the month.

The amended report said Myrna left her purple purse at the counter of the remittance center. She returned later but discovered that it was gone and so she reported it to the police.

The purse also contained the victim’s HSBC bank card, a SanDisk memory card, a SIM card, and some papers.

The CCTV footage showed Lorna taking the purse at around 10:25 a.m. before leaving the remittance center.

The following day, a police officer was conducting an anti-crime patrol at a private housing estate in Tsuen Wan when the officer saw Lorna.

Because she resembled the description of the woman who took the purse in the CCTV, Lorna was “intercepted for an inquiry,” the prosecutor said.

“(Lorna) confessed (to) stealing (the purse and its contents). Defendant was arrested and, under caution (and) with the assistance of (a Tagalog interpreter), she admitted the offense,” the prosecutor said.

She added that the purse and its contents—including the $5,164 in cash—were recovered from Lorna.

The defendant is 45 years old and is the sole bread winner of her family back in the Philippines.