Mother jailed for $4,600 sweets theft

A mainland mother-of-two was jailed for four months yesterday after stealing 449 packets of sweets and chocolates to give to relatives as souvenirs of her trip to Hong Kong.

Liang Shufang, 44, stole $4,623 worth of sweets from a ParknShop store in Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, last Friday. At Eastern Court yesterday she pleaded guilty to one count of theft. Her haul consisted of 107 tubes of Meiji sweets, 156 packets of sugar-free chewing gum, 42 bars of Lindt chocolate and 144 tubes of Fruitips pastilles.

She was stopped by store staff who had seen her on a closed-circuit camera putting the sweets into a bag and leaving without attempting to pay.

The court heard Liang had entered Hong Kong on a two-way permit and had planned to buy sweets to give to relatives as souvenirs upon returning to the mainland.

But despite arriving with about $2,000, Liang, who the court was told had a previous theft conviction, claimed she had lost the money and had stolen the sweets so she would have something to give to relatives.

She had about $300 in cash when she was arrested.