### Theft Ordinance 《盜竊罪條例》

23. Blackmail
(1) A person commits blackmail if, with a view to gain for himself or another or with intent to cause loss to another, he makes any unwarranted demand with menaces; and for this purpose a demand with menaces is unwarranted unless the person making it does so in the belief—
(a) that he has reasonable grounds for making the demand; and
(b) that the use of the menaces is a proper means of reinforcing the demand.
(2) The nature of the act or omission demanded is immaterial, and it is also immaterial whether the menaces relate to action to be taken by the person making the demand.
(3) Any person who commits blackmail shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction upon indictment to imprisonment for 14 years.
(4) Any person who has in his possession or under his control any letter or writing making any unwarranted demand of any person with menaces shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction upon indictment to imprisonment for 10 years.
(5) A person does not commit an offence under subsection (4) if he proves that he had the letter or writing in his possession or control otherwise than with intent to utter it.
[cf. 1968 c. 60 s. 21 U.K.]

24. Handling stolen goods
(1) A person handles stolen goods if (otherwise than in the course of the stealing) knowing or believing them to be stolen goods he dishonestly receives the goods, or dishonestly undertakes or assists in their retention, removal, disposal or realization by or for the benefit of another person, or if he arranges to do so.
(2) Any person who handles stolen goods shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction upon indictment to imprisonment for 14 years.
[cf. 1968 c. 60 s. 22 U.K.]

25. Advertising rewards for return of goods stolen or lost
Where any public advertisement of a reward for the return of any goods which have been stolen or lost uses any words to the effect that no questions will be asked, or that the person producing the goods will be safe from apprehension or inquiry, or that any money paid for the purchase of the goods or advanced by way of loan on them will be repaid, the person advertising the reward and any person who prints or publishes the advertisement shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine at level 1.
(Amended E.R. 3 of 2021)[cf. 1968 c. 60 s. 23 U.K.]

### Theft Ordinance 《盜竊罪條例》

26. Scope of offences relating to stolen goods
(1) The provisions of this Ordinance relating to goods which have been stolen shall apply whether the stealing occurred in Hong Kong or elsewhere, and whether it occurred before or after the commencement of this Ordinance, provided that the stealing (if not an offence under this Ordinance) amounted to an offence where and at the time when the goods were stolen; and references to stolen goods shall be construed accordingly.
(2) For the purposes of those provisions references to stolen goods shall include, in addition to the goods originally stolen and parts of them (whether in their original state or not)—
(a) any other goods which directly or indirectly represent or have at any time represented the stolen goods in the hands of the thief as being the proceeds of any disposal or realization of the whole or part of the goods stolen or of goods so representing the stolen goods; and
(b) any other goods which directly or indirectly represent or have at any time represented the stolen goods in the hands of a handler of the stolen goods or any part of them as being the proceeds of any disposal or realization of the whole or part of the stolen goods handled by him or of goods so representing them.
(3) No goods shall be regarded as having continued to be stolen goods after they have been restored to the person from whom they were stolen or to other lawful possession or custody, or after that person and any other person claiming through him have otherwise ceased as regards those goods to have any right to restitution in respect of the theft.
(4) For the purposes of the provisions of this Ordinance relating to goods which have been stolen (including subsections (1) to (3)) goods obtained in Hong Kong or elsewhere either by blackmail or in the circumstances described in section 17(1) shall be regarded as stolen; and steal (偷竊), theft (盜竊罪) and thief (竊賊) shall be construed accordingly.
[cf. 1968 c. 60 s. 24 U.K.]

27. Going equipped for stealing, etc.
(1) Any person who, when not at his place of abode, has with him any article for use in the course of or in connexion with any burglary, theft or cheat shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction upon indictment to imprisonment for 3 years.
(2) Where a person is charged with an offence under this section, proof that he had with him any article made or adapted for use in committing a burglary, theft or cheat shall be evidence that he had it with him for such use.
(3) For the purposes of this section an offence under section 14 of taking a conveyance shall be treated as theft, and cheat (行騙) means an offence under section 17.
[cf. 1968 c. 60 s. 25 U.K.]

### Theft Ordinance 《盜竊罪條例》

28. Search for stolen goods
(1) If it is made to appear by information on oath before a magistrate that there is reasonable cause to believe that any person has in his custody or possession or on his premises any stolen goods, the magistrate may grant a warrant to search for and seize the same.
(2) (Repealed 13 of 1995 s. 52)(3) Where under this section a person is authorized to search premises for stolen goods, he may enter and search the premises accordingly, and may seize any goods he believes to be stolen goods.
(4) Section 102 of the Criminal Procedure Ordinance (Cap. 221) (which makes provision for the disposal of property connected with offences) shall apply to property which has come into the possession of the police under this section as it applies to property which has come into the possession of the police in the circumstances mentioned in that section.
(5) This section is to be construed in accordance with section 26 and in subsection (2) of this section the references to handling stolen goods shall include any corresponding offence committed before the commencement of this Ordinance.
[cf. 1968 c. 60 s. 26 U.K.]

### Theft Ordinance 《盜竊罪條例》

32. Verdict
(1) If on the trial of any information, charge or indictment for an offence specified in the first column of the Schedule it is proved that the accused is not guilty of that offence but guilty of one of the offences specified opposite thereto in the second column of that Schedule or of attempting or being a party to an offence so specified, the accused shall be acquitted of the offence originally charged and shall be convicted of such other offence or of attempting or being a party to such other offence and be liable to be punished accordingly.
(2) The references in the Schedule to numbered sections and subsections shall be construed to include every offence under the section or subsection so numbered in this Ordinance.
(3) Nothing in this section or in the Schedule shall exclude the application to any offence of any other law authorizing a person to be found guilty of an offence other than that with which he is charged.