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A 34-year-old man was jailed for 25 months with the enhancement of sentence under "Organized and Serious Crime Ordinance" for theft at the District Court last Friday (December 16).
The Court heard that Police received a number of reports in which a large amount of electric cables installed at the staircases were stolen in a public housing estate in Tuen Mun this August. Police later arrested a 34-year-old man, who was believed to be in connection with a number of metal theft cases, near the estate on August 22.
The man was subsequently charged with 13 counts of theft. He was convicted and sentenced for 21-month imprisonment at the District Court this month. Police later applied for an enhancement of sentence under the "Organized and Serious Crime Ordinance" and the Judge accepted the prosecution's grounds. The sentence was enhanced to 25-month imprisonment.
The sentence was the first enhancement, which was successfully invoked on metal theft cases under the "Organized and Serious Crime Ordinance" in Hong Kong.
Police will continue to combat against metal theft cases and apply enhance sentence under the "Organized and Serious Crime Ordinance", if appropriate, to serve as a deterrent.
Police Report No. 169
Issued by PPRB
Ends/Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Issued at HKT 21:03
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