Filipino Jailed 16 Months for Theft at TV Actress’ Home

The 50-year-old male domestic worker was convicted in a Hong Kong court for stealing jewelry last year worth US$47,000 from his former employer

By ASIA TIMES STAFF

A 50-year-old male Filipino domestic worker was convicted in a Hong Kong court for stealing jewelry worth a total of HK$365,000 (US$47,000) at his former employer’s home last year.

Between February 2 and July 30, 2016, Laberos Alberio Ibanez stole 28 items of jewelry, including gold watches, ear-rings, rings and jade, from a villa on Black’s Link in Mid-Levels on Hong Kong Island where he worked, Apple Daily reported. He collected HK$59,900 in cash when he pawned the jewelry, but lost the money from gambling in Macau.

Ibanez admitted to a theft charge in Eastern Magistrates Court and said he would like to apologize publicly to his former employer, Brianna Chan Ling-lei, who is a former local television drama actress. Ibanez said he also had to send money to his mother in the Philippines.

He was given a 16-month jail term on February 9, which is less than the usual sentence of 24 months in similar cases, Sing Tao Daily reported.Chan told media that she had paid the pawn shops to recover 24 pieces of jewelry, but the rest could not be found.

(Source: ATimes.com)