Woman fined HK$6,000 in doctor theft case
On.cc · 3 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago5 MIN
Summary
A 64-year-old unemployed woman, Lee Kuen (李娟), pleaded guilty at Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts to one theft charge arising from an incident at the Living Plaza by AEON store in Metro City Plaza Phase 2, Tseung Kwan O, and was fined HK$6,000. Magistrate Lau Suk-han said the stolen goods were of significant value, took into account that all items were recovered, and urged her to choose her associates more carefully and not reoffend. Retired doctor Tai Kong-shing (戴港盛), 80, who is charged in the same March 4 case and a separate alleged theft on March 2 at the same store, had his case adjourned to November 3 for the defence to obtain prosecution documents and legal advice, and he remains on bail.
Key Points
- Tai, aged 80 and listed as retired, and Lee, 64 and unemployed, were jointly charged over an alleged theft on March 4, 2026, at the same Tseung Kwan O supermarket.
- Lee admitted the joint theft charge involving four electric toothbrushes, nine boxes of fish and other groceries worth HK$2,894.9 in total.
- Police on patrol said they saw Lee and another defendant place goods into a purple trolley and pink bag before leaving without paying.
- Tai also faces a separate theft charge alleging he stole an orange shopping trolley and food items including sashimi and sushi worth HK$1,868.5 on March 2, 2026.
- In mitigation, Lee’s lawyer said she was widowed more than a decade ago, her children are financially independent, and she lives on savings.
Why It Matters
The case is not over because Tai still faces two theft charges, with the next hearing set for November 3 while he remains on bail. For court watchers, the ruling also shows that even where all goods are recovered, the court may still impose a substantial fine when the value of the items is considered significant.