Hong Kong pet shop owner arrested for alleged theft of 35 cats to repay loan
The owner, surnamed Chan, 44, had a shop in Hung Hom, which also offered consignment and pet-sitting services, a source said on Thursday.
The source said Chan took out a loan of HK$210,000 from a company in August last year. The firm demanded repayment on Monday but Chan, who could not pay, proposed offering the cats from two customers to cover part of the debt, the source said.
The proposal was accepted by the company staff, who later took away the cats.
Three Bengal cats, valued at HK$150,000, and 32 British Shorthairs and Ragdolls, valued at HK$473,300, were given away.
The Bengal cats were owned by a woman, 57, who requested a pet-sitting service at the shop. The other cats belonged to a man, 54, who asked for a consignment service.
The woman called police on Wednesday at 2pm after she failed to get back her pets at the shop and discovered that they had been used for debt repayment, the source said.
The shop owner was arrested for theft after a police investigation. The force also recovered the 35 cats in Yau Ma Tei and Yuen Long districts.
The cats were found to be healthy after being checked by staff of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the source added.
The case is still under investigation. - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
Japanese man sneaks into his colleague's home 20 times, takes photos to get her attention
A man in Japan copied the house key of a colleague, sneaked into her home 20 times and took more than 300 photographs in a bizarre attempt to get her attention. Tokyo office worker Yuki Murai, 27, was described as quiet and reserved, with few social connections at work. About six months ago, a new administrative assistant joined the company where he works. She quickly became popular for her sweet looks and gentle personality. After meeting her at a company dinner, Murai began messaging her frequently, asking about her lunch, her favourite animals and other personal matters. She replied a few times out of politeness but eventually stopped engaging. Murai later told police: 'I felt like she was toying with me, maybe even deliberately ignoring me.' One night while working late, Murai rifled through the woman's bag while she was away from her desk. He found her house key, took a photograph of it, then noted the manufacturer's details and key number. He contacted an online key duplication service and had a copy made. The shop advertised itself as 'highly skilled' and claimed not to question clients' reasons for using the service. Murai then began monitoring the woman's routine and found that she often went jogging in the evenings. One weekend evening, he sneaked into her flat for the first time, wandering through her bedroom, living room, and bathroom. Over the next few months, Murai broke in at least 20 more times, stealing pieces of her clothing as 'souvenirs'. He also took over 300 photos with his phone, capturing images of her inside the home, her clothes on the sofa, and even spots of water on the bathroom mirror. The woman grew suspicious after noticing her clothes had been moved and unfamiliar footprints on the floor. She contacted the police and installed hidden cameras in her home. When Murai returned, officers caught him in the act. According to The Asahi Shimbun newspaper, Murai stole six items during his final break-in, including clothes, bags, and a surveillance camera worth about 15,000 yen (US$100). He told the police he never meant to harm her: 'I just wanted her to feel my presence. She never replied to my messages.' On June 17, Tokyo Metropolitan Police announced that Murai had been arrested on suspicion of trespass and theft. The case has sparked outrage on social media. One online observer said: 'This is terrifying. The devil might be right beside you. People who seem normal can have the darkest obsessions.' 'The Japanese government should tighten regulations on key duplication services. One small oversight can pose a huge risk to society,' said another. - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
The Star
5 hours ago
- The Star
Hong Kong pet shop owner arrested for alleged theft of 35 cats to repay loan
A Hong Kong pet shop owner has been arrested for the alleged theft of 35 of his customers' cats which he used to repay debts to a loan company, with the felines estimated to be valued at more than HK$623,000 (US$79,870), the Post has learned. The owner, surnamed Chan, 44, had a shop in Hung Hom, which also offered consignment and pet-sitting services, a source said on Thursday. The source said Chan took out a loan of HK$210,000 from a company in August last year. The firm demanded repayment on Monday but Chan, who could not pay, proposed offering the cats from two customers to cover part of the debt, the source said. The proposal was accepted by the company staff, who later took away the cats. Three Bengal cats, valued at HK$150,000, and 32 British Shorthairs and Ragdolls, valued at HK$473,300, were given away. The Bengal cats were owned by a woman, 57, who requested a pet-sitting service at the shop. The other cats belonged to a man, 54, who asked for a consignment service. The woman called police on Wednesday at 2pm after she failed to get back her pets at the shop and discovered that they had been used for debt repayment, the source said. The shop owner was arrested for theft after a police investigation. The force also recovered the 35 cats in Yau Ma Tei and Yuen Long districts. The cats were found to be healthy after being checked by staff of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the source added. The case is still under investigation. - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
The Star
6 hours ago
- The Star
Going deep to study scammers using AI deepfake vidoes
PETALING JAYA: With deepfake videos showing supposedly well-known Malaysians promoting fake investments, scammers are increasingly using advanced AI tools to deceive the public and gain their trust. Former Pasir Pinji assemblyman Datuk Chan Kam took a bold step by deliberately engaging with a fake online investment scheme to warn the public about how such scams operate. He said many scammers were now using artificial intelligence (AI) to create highly realistic fake investment videos and advertisements. These are then widely circulated on social media to trick people into handing over their money. Chan, who was accompanied by MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong, held a press conference at Wisma MCA on Saturday (July 5). 'In the past two months, I've noticed more of these fake investment ads appearing online. So last month, I decided to click on one of them to see what would happen,' he said. 'After entering my contact details, I received a call from someone speaking Mandarin. The caller told me about an investment opportunity and even helped me set up an account.' Chan said he then transferred RM1,100 to a bank account provided by the scammer and followed the instructions as though he were a genuine investor. 'The scammer contacted me daily, sharing so-called good news about the investment and encouraging me to invest more. 'Fortunately, I knew it was a scam from the beginning, so I didn't proceed further. But the RM1,100 I initially transferred is gone,' he said. He explained that the money had been pooled together by himself, Chong, and several members of the Malaysia-China Friendship and Mutual Assistance Association and the Crime Prevention Foundation. Their aim was to understand how these online scams work. Chan said he used his real name and bank account for the transaction and has kept all relevant evidence. He plans to lodge a police report soon. 'I hope that by sharing my experience, more people will be cautious and avoid falling for these scams on social media,' he added. Meanwhile, Chong said scammers are using AI to produce deep fake videos that appear to show well-known Malaysians endorsing fake investment schemes — raking in billions from unsuspecting victims. He added that the scammers also create deep fake videos of leaders like Anwar, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong and other ministers. Some videos even include logos from trusted media outlets like The Star to appear as authentic news reports. Other prominent individuals targeted in these scams include tycoon Tan Sri Robert Kuok, former Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat and Capital A CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes. 'It's ridiculous – our Prime Minister doesn't even have an Indian accent,' Chong remarked. 'And remember, there's no such thing as easy money. How could paying a small amount give you huge returns? 'With AI now so advanced, people must be extra cautious. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.' He also shared police data showing that in 2024, there were 13,956 scam cases reported, involving total losses of RM2.11bil. He added that 85% of these scams originated from platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp and Telegram.
