A 50-year-old man went on trial Tuesday, accused of robbing an elderly woman in a restaurant.
The defendant, a construction worker surnamed Chan, pounced on the 89-year-old victim in a narrow corridor and fled with her handbag as she lay on the floor, a Tsuen Wan magistrate’s court heard.
The bag contained a watch, some cash and other items worth HK$1,200 (US$155), Apple Daily reports.
Chan was arrested hours later in his Shek Lei Estate flat in Kwai Chung after he was identified from a security camera.
The woman, surnamed Chu, was taken to hospital with minor injuries.
The incident happened on March 26 in Kwai Hing Shopping Center.
A clip of the incident has gone viral on the internet, drawing angry comments from netizens who condemned Chan for preying on a helpless old woman.
It shows a man in a black sweater standing in a narrow hallway, facing the wall, and a woman ambling toward his direction.
The man then turns around and talks briefly with the woman before pushing her with such force she appears to fly out of sight into a gap in the wall.
The suspect is next seen running toward the camera trying to sling a bag across his chest.
The judge adjourned the case to Friday to allow Chan to complete police identification procedures.
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