Indian man robbed in China

China National News (IANS) Tuesday 26th April, 2011

An Indian national working with a Shanghai firm was robbed of jewellery and luxury watches worth over $40,000 by a fake furniture moving company, a court has heard.

Chen Tao, 30, registered a furniture removal company online using the name of a well-known Shanghai firm, despite having no connections with the named company.

The unnamed Indian man working in Shanghai's Jing'an district booked a deal with Chen to transport his belongings to another place, the district people's court was told.

On Oct 1 last year, Chen and three other staff went to the Indian's home, where he stole a purse from an unlocked safe in the bedroom, Shanghai Daily reported.

The purse contained over 20 luxury items, including two watches, five rings, nine pairs of earrings and five necklaces.

The belongings were worth around 270,000 yuan (approximately $41,435).

Chen left after 'orchestrating' a dispute over the price of the job.

The theft was noticed shortly afterwards.

After police were alerted, Chen asked a friend to return the goods and surrendered to officials.

Chen was Monday jailed for three years for stealing. He was also given five years' probation and ordered to pay a fine of 140,000 yuan.

The court said it gave Chen a lenient sentence as he had returned the stolen items and because it was his first offence.