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| Mislang found the kid's wallet on a game machine inside Jumpin Gym in Aberdeen |
By Vir B. Lumicao
For taking $240 and an Octopus card from a child’s wallet
she found in a games arcade, a Filipina helper was fined $1,500 on Tuesday, Jul
23.
Esther Mislang, 55, was also ordered by Magistrate Lam Tsz Kan to give back the $240 she took from the wallet of the 5-year-old owner.
Mislang, who has been employed by the same employer for over
10 years, pleaded guilty to a charge of theft “by finding” when she appeared in
court.
The prosecution said the wallet owner, a Kindergarten 3 girl,
went with her father to a Jumpin’ Gym arcade in Aberdeen Centre, Aberdeen
After they had left the arcade around 8:30pm, the girl
suddenly realized she forgot to pick up her Smiggle wallet that she placed on
the seat of the arcade machine.
When the father and child returned to the arcade, the wallet
was already gone.
The father asked the arcade manager to review the CCTV
footage in the area of the machine and saw Mislang pick up the wallet, put it
in her pocket and leave.
The case was reported to the police and on Jun 3, the
defendant was arrested, but she denied taking the wallet. Mislang said she only
inspected it then threw it in a rubbish bin.
But in mitigation, Mislang’s lawyer said the helper did find
the wallet, but dumped it after taking the cash and Octopus card inside. The
lawyer also said the maid had used the Octopus card and was willing to pay back
the cash she had taken.
He pleaded for leniency, saying the defendant was
remorseful.
Mislang reportedly arrived in Hong Kong
in 1992 and has worked for her current employer for more than 10 years. Her
employer supported her in her case.
Apart from imposing a $1,500 fine, the magistrate ordered the defendant to pay the wallet owner $240.
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