Former policewoman gets one-year probation for stealing HK$5,600 hat

A former policewoman was on Wednesday sentenced to three months in prison plus one year of probation after she was found guilty of stealing a hat worth over HK$5,600 in a Tsim Sha Tsui boutique.  

Irene Lau Kit-yee, 50, appeared in the Kowloon City Magistrates' Court today. She was previously convicted on one count of theft after stealing a black hat worth HK$5,670 in a boutique TWIST on the UG floor in iSQUARE in Tsim Sha Tsui on May 21, 2022. She was off-duty by then.

Passing sentence, magistrate Kestrel Lam Tsz-hong said he did not accept the defendant's explanation of her committing the crime under the influence of prescription drugs.  

He said surveillance footage had seen no abnormality from the defendant and that her actions were premeditated to a certain extent. Imposing a fine could not reflect the seriousness of the offense, he added.  

However, Lam said that considering that the defendant has been suffering from psychological problems and required treatment and that an immediate custodial sentence may affect her mental state, he decided to hand down a three-month jail term plus one year of probation.  

Lau served the police force for over 30 years and was suspended from duty following her arrest. She later tendered her resignation.