The SUN HK : Filipino held for Chanel bag theft and two other charges

15 December 2020

By Vir B. Lumicao

Castrillo is accused of stealing a Chanel bag, using counterfeit money, and illegal gambling

A Filipino man with a history of absconding was charged in Eastern Court today, Dec 15, for allegedly stealing a signature handbag in a shop in Causeway Bay in July, and with three counts of passing counterfeit notes and coins.

C. Castrillo, 38, appeared before Magistrate Bina Chainrai this afternoon after failing to show up in the morning session. His co-accused, Chiu Chun-ling, 44, who waited in the courtroom until the lunch break, did not return after the break.

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In the first charge, the prosecution said Castrillo went to the Heart of Luxe shop in a building on Great George St and stole a dark blue Chanel ladies handbag. The value of the bag was not disclosed, but it should cost tens of thousands of dollars.

The prosecution opposed bail for the defendant, citing strong evidence against him and the likelihood of him jumping bail again. The prosecutor said the accused had committed a similar offense in 2019.

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Chainrai agreed, and rejected Castrillo’s bail application, before ordering him to pay $1,000 for failing to show up in a previous hearing and $200 in court costs, to be taken from his bail money.

The court ordered the accused detained after he jumped bail, and did not show up in time for his hearing

Castrillo also faces a bogus currency charge, allegedly committed while he was on bail for illegal gambling. No details of the two incidents were disclosed in court.

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On May 13, Chainrai ordered him arrested along with three of his six co-accused in the illegal gambling case for being absent from a hearing on May 13.

At that time, he was on police bail following his arrest on Mar 12 along with the other defendants in the gambling den in a building on Hennessy Road, Wanchai. Three other defendants in that case pleaded guilty and were fined $500 each.

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He was later arrested and his police bail of $1,000 was seized when he skipped a hearing of his case on Sept 11. When asked why he did not show up, he said he forgot about it.

He figured in the bogus currency case with R.N. Maristela, 25, his Filipina co-accused in the gambling case. He was granted a $1,500 bail. He also missed the Oct 14 hearing.

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Asked by Chainrai why he failed to attend the October hearing, the defendant said: “I was absent because of Covid (the coronavirus contagion).”

“What has Covid-19 got to do with your absence?” the magistrate asked, and the defendant said he was staying with his girlfriend in Peng Chau.

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Chainrai ordered Castrillo to return on Jan 4 for the transfer of his case to the District Court. The magistrate adjourned the theft case until Jan 28.