Robber also tried to blackmail victim via Net messages
A university student, with the help of his computer science professor, tracked down on the internet a fellow student who had stolen his wallet and later blackmailed him, a court heard yesterday.
Man Chun-wa, 20, a second year biochemistry major at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, was ordered to perform 160 hours of community service after he pleaded guilty to stealing and blackmailing another student so he could buy a designer bag on the internet.
He admitted snatching Kwok Chak-lam's wallet in the campus cafeteria and later tried to blackmail him into transferring $1,800 to a bank account through e-mails last December.
A police investigation revealed that a woman - who was not involved in the crime - was auctioning a $1,800 designer bag on the internet site and requested payment be made to that bank account.
But the transaction was never completed because Man was arrested.
Kwun Tong Principal Magistrate Garry Tallentire made the non-custodial sentence yesterday, even though the offence was serious, because the defendant had a clear record.
