Addicted to games, went online to learn how to break locks and steal cars

(Baonghean.vn) - To have money to spend and satisfy his gaming addiction, Ho Sy Hau went online to learn how to make lock-breaking tools and then created a specialized motorbike lock-breaking tool kit to serve his criminal activities.

On June 30, the People's Court of Quy Hop district held a trial to try the criminal case against defendant Ho Sy Hau and his accomplices, who were prosecuted for the crimes of "theft of property" and "receiving property obtained by others through crime".

Defendants Huong, Hau and Phuc (from left to right) in court. Photo: Phan Giang.

According to the indictment, Ho Sy Hau (born in 1994) resides in Hamlet 2, Tang Thanh Commune and Nguyen Canh Phuc (born in 1996) resides in Hamlet 3, Xuan Thanh Commune, Yen Thanh District. Both subjects do not have stable jobs and often hang out at Internet cafes to play games. To satisfy his gaming addiction, Ho Sy Hau went online to learn how to make lock-breaking tools and then created a specialized motorbike lock-breaking tool kit, then invited Phuc to steal motorbikes and sell them to Le Van Huong (born in 1990) residing in Kim Chi Hamlet, Do Thanh Commune (Yen Thanh).

In January 2017, Hau and Phuc committed 5 motorbike thefts in Quynh Luu, Do Luong and Quy Hop districts with a total value of 108 million VND. Specifically, the first time Hau and Phuc stole a motorbike in Quynh Tam commune and sold it to Huong for 3 million VND. Hau kept the money and did not share it with Phuc. The second time, Hau and Phuc went to Giang Son Dong commune to steal a motorbike and brought it to Dinh Thai Internet cafe in Bac Thanh commune to hide it. After that, Hau installed a fake license plate on the stolen motorbike and the two used the motorbike as a means of continuing to steal property.

The third time, both of them drove a motorbike to Trang Son commune to steal a motorbike and sell it to Huong for 2.8 million VND. Hau only gave Phuc 1 million VND. The fourth time, Hau and Phuc went to Tam Hop commune (Quy Hop) to steal a motorbike and sell it to Le Van Huong for 8 million VND. However, at that time, Huong did not have enough money so she only gave Hau 6.5 million VND. Hau kept this money and did not give it to Phuc. The fifth time, both of them drove a motorbike to steal a motorbike in Hop Thuan hamlet (Dong Hop). On the way to sell it, the stolen motorbike driven by Hau collided with Mr. Tuan's motorbike, a resident of Hop Thuan hamlet. There, Hau and Phuc were taken to the police station by the police force and local people for questioning.

Through professional measures, at the Quy Hop police investigation agency, Hau and Phuc confessed to all their crimes. After buying Hau’s car, Le Van Huong sold 3 stolen cars for a total value of 53 million VND.

At the trial, the defendants confessed to all their crimes as stated in the indictment.

It is known that in 2012, Ho Sy Hau was sentenced by the People's Court of Yen Thanh district to 6 months of non-custodial reform for the crime of "harboring or consuming property obtained by others through criminal acts", and Le Van Huong had previous convictions for "theft of property".

Based on the evidence and documents examined at the trial; based on the results of the debate at the trial on the basis of full and comprehensive consideration of the evidence, opinions of the Prosecutor, the defendants and other participants in the proceedings, the Panel of Judges sentenced the defendants Ho Sy Hau to 4 years and 6 months in prison, Nguyen Canh Phuc to 3 years in prison and Le Van Huong to 4 years in prison according to the provisions of Clause 2, Article 250 of the Penal Code.

Phan Giang