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SCMP Reporter

A university postgraduate dropout posed as a policeman and used a stolen warrant card to take bank cards from customers using ATMs, which he then used to withdraw more than HK$112,000 over the course of six months.
Deputy Judge Ada Yim Shun-yee  jailed Tse Ka-ho, 30, for 22 months after he pleaded guilty to 12 counts of theft and eight counts of impersonating a public officer.
Prosecutor Joseph Lam Siu-wan told the court that the police warrant card belonged to his  girlfriend's father,  a retired police sergeant. Tse took it while visiting his girlfriend's home.
He then stuck his own picture on the card to make it look authentic.
Mr Lam said that between June and November last year, Tse had preyed on 11 people at ATMs in various districts of Kowloon. On each occasion he intercepted the victims after they had just made a cash withdrawal or transaction.
Tse would tell them he was a police officer and produce his warrant card. He would then demand their proof of identity.
All the victims complied and handed over their wallets, together with their identity cards. After a brief inspection, Tse would return the items - minus their ATM cards, having already noted their pin numbers.
Money would be later withdrawn from their bank accounts.  Mr Lam said that on one occasion, Tse transferred HK$18,600 from one victim's account.
He was  arrested while using the same scam to deceive another bank customer on November 2. Police officers who had been alerted to his scam intercepted him in Fat Kwong Street while he was getting into a taxi.
None of the ATM cards could be recovered but Tse had repaid the money.
In mitigation, barrister David Boyton said Tse committed the offences because he had to repay credit card and financial company debts.
Mr Boyton said Tse's family had high expectations of him. He studied at Polytechnic University but dropped out of a masters degree course at Nottingham University in England and since his return to Hong Kong in 2001 could not get a stable job.
The court heard Tse   was ashamed to reveal the truth to his family and he had borrowed money to support his family every month.
Tse had also apologised to the victims in his mitigation letter, according to Mr Boyton. His family and girlfriend showed support by appearing in court yesterday.
Sentencing Tse, Deputy Judge Yim said  he must have had a scam plot to impersonate a police officer in his mind when he discovered his girlfriend's father's warranty card at home, and she didn't  consider Tse to have been opportunistic.
The judge  said Tse had  chosen his victims after he  had observed their bank account pin numbers at the ATM machines. He then took advantage of the victims' trust  in the police.
However, a discount was given due to  Tse's clear record, good background, his guilty plea and full restitution  to his victims.



Man who posed as policeman to rob ATM users jailed 22 months