Newly promoted sergeant arrested in Hong Kong for stealing colleague’s credit card from police station locker and buying three iPhones with it
- Sergeant, 33, from Sheung Shui division arrested for theft and obtaining property by deception, police spokesman says
- Officer has been released on bail and must report back to police next month
A newly promoted sergeant has been arrested in Hong Kong for stealing a colleague’s credit card from a police station locker and using it to buy iPhones.
The 33-year-old sergeant from Sheung Shui division was arrested in Tai Po district on Thursday for theft and obtaining property by deception, a police spokesman said on Friday.
A police source said the sergeant, who was promoted in January and had been in the force for more than 13 years, stole the card from a colleague’s locker in Sheung Shui station. His locker and his colleague’s were side by side.
He had bought goods with the stolen card, which his colleague later cancelled.
The sergeant was said to have stolen a new card and replaced it with an old one.
The card was used to buy three iPhones worth about HK$20,000 (US$2,560) in total, the source said.
The sergeant has been released on bail and must report back to police next month.
The spokesman said the officer had been suspended from duty.
The force attaches great importance to the integrity of police officers, the spokesman said, adding that it would not tolerate any violation of the law from any employee. Police would handle the incident seriously and conduct a criminal investigation and disciplinary review, he said.