A 43-year-old mainland Chinese man was sentenced to 25 months in jail on March 16 for stealing money from bus passengers by slashing their pants pockets with razor blades last year.
On October 4, Ma Ximing stole a man’s wallet containing HK$3,500 (US$450) by cutting the pocket on his victim’s pants with a razor blaze on a bus running between Tuen Mun and Mong Kok, Sing Pao Daily reported. Ma was almost caught by the victim, but he successfully escaped with help from his accomplices.
On October 25, when Ma tried to steal a man’s wallet on a bus running between Lai Chi Kok and Kennedy Town, he was caught by the victim. This time, his accomplices left him behind. Police officers found 12 razor blades, each 3.5cm, in Ma’s bag.
District Court Judge Eddie Yip Chor-man gave Ma a heavier than normal sentence to deter similar thefts, Apple Daily reported.
Separately, a court hearing for two other men accused of slashing people’s pants to steal money and wallets was scheduled on April 6. Th two mainland Chinese men, surnamed He and Cao, both 43, remain in custody and were charged with stealing HK$7,100 from a 57-year-old man on a bus on Tuesday.