Sergeant sentenced to 2 years in jail for stealing HKD1 million bail money from police HQ

A former police sergeant jailed for two years yesterday after he stole HKD1.07 million in bail money from Hong Kong police headquarters.

Cheung Wai-lun, 43, had pleaded guilty to one count of theft at the District Court yesterday afternoon.

On May 2, Cheung, who was given temporary responsibility for the safe at the Wan Chai police headquarters’ report room, took bail money from roughly 60 suspects totalling over HKD1 million, and left for Macau. Two hours later, he called his fellow officers to tell them where they could find the key to the empty safe, SCMP reports.

Cheung and his ex-wife had reportedly accumulated debts of over HKD1 million since 2009 due to failed investments and gambling losses. 

The disgraced sergeant said in court that he gambled the bail money in Macau casinos in the hopes of winning enough cash to settle his debts. Obviously, this did not work. 

After losing the money, Cheung travelled to Zhuhai on Aug. 2 under the assumption that Macau Customs would apprehend him, but managed to successfully cross the border, HK01 reports. He then turned himself in to mainland authorities, claiming he had spent all of the stolen money. Cheung’s wife divorced him after his arrest.

Cheung joined the police force in 1992 and was promoted to sergeant last year. Before he was fired on November 9, he was earning HKD30,000 a month, according to The Standard. Throughout his 24-year career, Cheung was reportedly awarded around 30 commendations.

As a result of his sentence, Cheung will lose his HKD2 million pension.

 


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