Theft

Theft is an offence contrary to Section 9 of The Theft Ordinance (Chapter 210). It involves the dishonest appropriation of property belonging to another with intent permanently to deprive. “Appropriation of property” means taking or using property without authority or right. “Property belonging to another” means that the property belongs to someone other than the person who takes it. “Property" includes money and all other property, real and personal, including things in action and other intangible property. “Intangible” property is something which someone can own and transfer to someone else but which has no physical substance. A credit balance in a bank account is a good example of intangible property. It can be withdrawn or transferred to someone else but it does not have any physical substance. In ”The Invisible Thief”, by using the credit cards to purchase the online points, Andy has caused the clients’ accounts to be debited. By reducing the credit balances in clients' accounts, Andy dishonestly appropriated property belonging to those clients. When he did that he intended permanently to deprive those clients of the amounts by which their accounts were reduced. This is theft.