Jordanian diamond thief who beat woman unconscious in botched US$10 million Hong Kong heist jailed for five years
- Mohammad Ali Mousa Alzueinat committed crime just 24 hours after arriving in city from Dubai
- Female employee knocked out in ‘ruthless and violent’ assault, but robbery failed when security alarm triggered
A Jordanian national who kicked a female jewellery store employee unconscious in a vicious attack during a botched US$10 million robbery was jailed for five years at Hong Kong’s High Court on Tuesday.
Mohammad Ali Mousa Alzueinat, 23, pleaded guilty to one count of robbery in connection with the incident at M&B Diamonds in the Central district of the city last year.
The thief, who had been in Hong Kong for just 24 hours before the raid, was caught in the act by police after triggering the security system and getting locked inside the shop. But he swallowed seven diamonds before officers arrived, in an attempt to get away with his crime.
Jailing the Jordanian, who travelled to the city via Turkey and Dubai, Deputy Judge Alex Lee Wan-tang said the man had travelled to the city with the sole purpose of committing the crime, and condemned the violence he unleashed on the female employee, Chu Sau-ling.
The court heard Chu was subjected to a “ruthless and violent” attack, in which Alzueinat punched her so hard one of her contact lenses fell out, before kicking and stomping on her head, leaving her unconscious.
