A Chinese University student found himself poorer by HK$13,300 in one day over two offences, including stealing four expensive aquarium fish.
Kwan Chun-lok, 26, slipped the thumb-sized fish - each costing HK$1,400 - into the pockets of his trousers, where they died, a court heard yesterday. He pleaded guilty to one count of theft.
Kwan was ordered to compensate the Mong Kok shop HK$5,600 for the fish, and was fined HK$3,000 for the offence. He was fined another HK$2,000 for breaching a good behaviour bond that was in effect at the time of the offence in September, Deputy Magistrate Kennis Tai Chiu-ki said.
Defence lawyer Arthur Luk Yee-shun SC described the offence as "a prank". "After stealing the fish, he did not flee the shop immediately," Luk told Kwun Tong Court. "Rather, he bought another fish for HK$390."
The court heard earlier that a manager of Aquarium World at the Mong Kok goldfish market found four Nannacara adoketa fish missing during a stock check on September 2.
CCTV footage showed Kwan catching the fish with a net the day before. He was stopped by the manager as he walked by the shop on September 4.