New York:
The sister of a senior Chinese diplomat has been caught for alleged shoplifting from a top department store in New York, a media report has said.
Guo Wang, 37, whose brother Bangfu Wang is a section chief in the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was busted for alleged shoplifting from the Herald Square Macy's and her well-connected family caused a huge scene trying to get her out of police custody, The New York Post reported.
Wang walked into the Macy's flagship store on Thursday before noon, picked up several shirts and two dresses and took them to the fitting room, sources said.
After a few minutes of fidgeting inside, she walked out with just two of the shirts and one dress, sources said.
She walked around the store bypassing several cash registers, moved through a few floors and tried to leave without paying for the items, according to court records.
Store clerk Kristen Jackson, who watched the diplomat's sister walk around the store, called Macy's security and confronted the woman.
A store guard found two shirts and a dress, worth about USD 148, in Wang's blue shoulder bag, according to court records.
Police arrested Guo and took her to the Midtown South Precinct. She was charged with criminal possession of stolen property and petit larceny, both misdemeanours.
Two Chinese consular officials, Wang's sister-in-law, Minga Wang, and Zerui Yang, showed up at the precinct shortly after and went berserk, sources said.
"They were literally pounding on the desk," a source was quoted by the daily as saying.
Sources said both Minga Wang, who is married to Bangfu Wang, and Yang live in New York and work for the Chinese consulate.
A consular spokeswoman yesterday denied they work for the consulate and said she could find nobody by those names on an internal employee list.
Guo appeared in Manhattan Criminal Court, where she was released after her case was adjourned in contemplation of dismissal and ordered to undergo one session of counseling and perform one day of community service.
Bangfu Wang has been stationed at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs' New York office for years but was traveling in China yesterday, sources said.
His sister was here visiting her family on a tourist visa.
Despite her brother's high-ranking post, Guo is not protected by diplomatic immunity. Only spouses and children under the age of 21 are included, according to a State Department spokeswoman.