Hong Kong court jails mainland diamond thief over HK$279,000 jewellery fair heist
PUBLISHED : Wednesday, 28 January, 2015, 4:16pm
UPDATED : Wednesday, 28 January, 2015, 4:16pm
Chris Lau [email protected]
The Jewelley and Gem Fair attracts buyers from around the world. Photo: SCMP Pictures
A diamond thief from mainland China was jailed for 2 ½ years at the District Court on Wednesday for his role in stealing a HK$279,000 jewel which is yet to be recovered,
Liu Xiaoping, a 39-year-old construction worker, pleaded guilty to stealing the 4.26 carat diamond at last year’s Hong Kong Jewellery and Gem Fair. He also admitted one count of using a false instrument when he showed business cards identifying him as a jeweller which he then used to obtain a pass to enter the fair.
Judge Sham Siu-man noted the heist was “planned” and “plotted” in advance.
“The case is serious,” he said.
The court heard that Liu was joined by three accomplices when he arrived at the exhibition at the AsiaWorld–Expo last September.
Two of the suspects approached a stall step up by exhibitor EMA asking to see some of the diamonds in its store including the one that would later be stolen, the court heard.
This is when Liu and the fourth suspect came in, requesting to look at another diamond.
Liu then distracted members of staff as the first pair of suspects fled.
Liu left the scene shortly afterwards but was intercepted by a staff member who chased after him when he realised the diamond had been swapped for a dud.
Details of how the diamond was swapped were not mentioned in court. Neither the diamond nor the other suspects have been located.
Under police caution, Liu admitted he was not a jeweller but a construction worker. He said that he paid 200 yuan (HK$252) to produce the name cards he used to gain entrance to the exhibition.
Liu pleaded for leniency in a letter to the court, saying it was a non-violent crime which did not involve a huge sum of money. He said he wanted to be reunited with his family across the border soon.
But Sham said the theft was so well-planned that even a bogus diamond had been prepared.
The case came amid a string of thefts which rocked the Jewellery and Gem Fair last year.
At least five precious gems worth millions of dollars were stolen during the first three days of the fair, which ran from September 15-19.
