Jail time in Monaco for Chinese thieves

palaisjusticeA young Chinese couple have been sent to jail in Monaco for attempting to steal a dozen bottles of Chanel perfume in a shop in Monte-Carlo.

The man and woman made a first visit to the Paris 8 boutique on avenue Princess Alice on November 29, where their behaviour aroused suspicion. Only after they had left was it discovered that four bottles of the fragrance had also left the building.

When the two came back for a second visit on December 21, the police were alerted and eight bottles of the same brand of perfume were found in their bags as soon as they were stopped after leaving the store. A metal box the couple were carrying had been used to disarm the theft detectors, Monaco’s Criminal Court was told.

The court accepted that the theft was not a one-off misdemeanour, but part of a pattern of crime. The young woman had previously appeared in court in France for theft and her name is registered with Sirasco, a crime agency charged with investigating and recording organised crime.

The tribunal agreed with the prosecution, and sentenced the two defendants to 45 days in jail and ordered them to pay €448.50 in damages.

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