Cat burglar who broke into high-rise flat for HK$800 jailed for two years
Accomplice given three years, claiming he only knew of crime after seeing stolen money
A mainland Chinese burglar who clambered down at least eight floors from the rooftop of a high-rise residential building in Hong Kong - only to steal a modest sum of HK$800 - has been jailed for two years, while his accomplice was jailed for three.
Sentencing Wei Shanzhu yesterday, District Court Judge Frankie Yiu Fun-che said the case was serious in that Wei and his co-defendant Wei Shanzheng hid inside Block E of Billionaire Royale in Kowloon City till the next morning to flee after committing the burglary.
"It is obvious the burglary was planned and premeditated," Yiu said.
Wei Shanzhu, 38, will serve a year less than Wei Shanzheng because he pleaded guilty to one count of burglary earlier. The two defendants were sentenced yesterday after Wei Shanzheng, 35, was convicted of his burglary charge following a trial.
Wei Shanzheng argued during the trial that he was not given a translator and police had included in his evidence something he had not said. He only knew Wei Shanzhu would commit burglary after he had stolen the HK$800, he contested earlier.
But yesterday, Yiu said he would not accept the defendant's account because he would not have hidden in the building and left hours later with Wei Shanzhu if he wasn't involved.
