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| The stolen items came from Taste supermarket in Whampoa Garden (Google photo) |
An unemployed Filipino has pleaded guilty to stealing about
$900 worth of grocery items, and for using a bank card lost by its owner.
J. Rasco, 50, who is in police custody, appeared before Kowloon
City Magistrate Ada Yim today, May 15.
Rasco admitted two charges of theft that took place between
Oct 21, 2018 and Feb 2, 2019.
He was arrested by two patrolling police officers at about 10:20pm
in Hung Hom on Feb 2 last year. At the time, Rasco was carrying two bulky
grocery bags and acting furtively, drawing the attention of the officers.
The officers stopped him for a check and found the bags stuffed
with various grocery items, including body lotion, chocolate bars, canned goods
and coffee. The total value of the goods was $976.30.
Upon interrogation, Rasco admitted he stole the goods from
Taste supermarket at Home World in Whampoa
Garden
The officers also found in Rasco’s wallet a Dah Shing Bank
Union Pay bank card that can be used to withdraw money and as an Octopus card. A
check revealed that the bank card was lost by local female resident Chiu
Chung-chung somewhere in To Kwa Wan, Kowloon
During questioning by police, Rasco again admitted stealing the
goods from Taste between 9:30pm and 10pm of Feb 3, 2019.
He also admitted to not being the owner of the card, saying “I
just pick it up” and “I used it on the MTR twice.”
Police found out that the card’s Octopus account had a
negative balance of $26. They also said the defendant had only $2 in his pocket
at the time of his arrest.
The prosecutor said Rasco had three previous convictions for
theft.
In mitigation, the defense lawyer said Rasco separated from
his wife five years ago. He has four children aged 27, 25, 24 and 14.
He said his client, a former kitchen helper earning $4,000 a
month, was remorseful and had pleaded guilty. He also said all the stolen items
had been recovered.
Magistrate Yim set the sentencing for May 29 after receiving
a drug addiction treatment report. – Vir B.
Lumicao
