Judicial Police of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) have offered a 100,000-pataca (US$12,500) reward for information leading to the whereabouts of a baby believed to have been kidnapped from a hospital ward last year.

According to a spokesman for the Judicial Police, the baby boy's "disappearance" from the government-run Conde de Sao Januario Hospital Center's maternity ward last October had so far remained unresolved despite "continuous and intensive investigations."

The spokesman also mentioned that nobody at the hospital seemed to have witnessed the apparent kidnapping, adding that anyone who believes to have information on the case should call the telephone numbers of the police and the government hospital, respectively 853-557777 and 853-3906502.

Security measures have also been reinforced by the Conde de SaoJanuario Hospital Centre by setting up a special working group, according to a source from the hospital.

(Xinhau News Agency March 22, 2004)