Source:
https://scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1936246/one-way-ticket-jail-hong-kong-clerk-missed-former-flight Law and Crime
One-way ticket to jail: Hong Kong clerk missed former flight attendant fiancé so much he stole Cathay Pacific uniforms
Magistrate warns the 39-year-old to expect a stiff prison term for preying on cabin crew staff who left items unattended on way to work
The defendant took uniforms and other items on buses while the crew members sat upstairs. Photo: Felix Wong
A clerk missed his former flight attendant fiancé so much that he stole uniforms, bags and suitcases from four Cathay Pacific and Dragonair cabin crew staff on airport buses.
Tsuen Wan Court was told on Friday that She Kwan-kit, 39, had also helped himself to their documents, a thermos, cosmetics and sunglasses, then stashed the items in his home.
He pleaded guilty to four counts of theft between September 2013 and last June.
Acting principal magistrate Cheang Kei-hong warned She to expect a long jail sentence and said he had abused the trust that the female victims had placed in the system when going to work.
“People placed items on the lower deck’s luggage rack because they trusted the system of luggage storage in buses,” the magistrate said. “That’s why they leave their luggage there and go sit upstairs, but the defendant abused that trust.”
The court heard that She stole Cathay Pacific uniform jackets, shirts, skirt, dresses and an apron as well as Dragonair uniform jacket from Chui Chun-Yan, Luk Wing-yu, Yip Kei-ho and Cheng Wing-kwan.
The items were later seized from his home in Chai Wan on his arrest on December 8 last year.
Police located She by matching CCTV records and the use of his Octopus card on June 9 last year after Chui reported that she had lost a number of items while on board a bus from Kwun Tong to the airport.
The defendant had three previous criminal convictions for indecent assault and loitering.
His counsel said in mitigation that his client stole the items because they reminded him of his former fiancé.
“The defendant obviously cannot let go so he has a special liking towards these objects,” the lawyer explained.
“They have no [monetary] value to him.”
The counsel also revealed that She was prepared to see a psychiatrist to treat his condition.
She was remanded for a psychological assessment before his next court appearance on April 29. He was also ordered to pay his victims HK$8,350 in compensation.
The magistrate said: “It’s possible that the defendant will face a long imprisonment.”