A Revere man was held on high bail yesterday after he allegedly tried and failed to snatch a woman’s purse, then grabbed her companion’s bag and the laptop computer it contained, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

VIKTOR KLEIN (D.O.B.4/10/82) was arraigned in the Boston Municipal Court and charged with unarmed robbery and attempted robbery for the March 12 incident. In his request for a high bail, Assistant District Attorney Spencer Lord noted that Klein had previously been convicted of robbery offenses in Worcester Superior Court and has a criminal history in Texas. Judge Thomas C. Horgan set bail at $20,000.

Lord told the court that the 25- and 26-year-old women, both South End residents, were walking on Harrison Avenue at about 2:00 on Sunday morning when they were approached by a man with dark hair parted to one side wearing a black jacket and dark jeans.

The man – later identified as Klein – allegedly said, “Do you guys know…,” before lunging at one of the woman and grabbing at her purse. The purse, however, was strapped over her shoulder and across her chest. After an unsuccessful struggle to take it, Klein turned to the second woman and grabbed her bag, which contained a Sony VAIO laptop and her identification. The assailant then fled on foot in the direction of East Springfield Street.

Boston Police officers arrived on the scene moments later and spoke with the two victims. The women were able to provide police with a description of the suspect and the direction in which he fled.

A police officer canvassing the area nearby saw a man matching the suspect’s description in the area of Shawmut Avenue and Northampton Street. When officers approached him, they observed that both of his hands were in his jacket pockets. They ordered him to show his hands, but Klein allegedly withdrew only one.

“I can’t take my hand out,” he allegedly said. When police officers removed Klein’s other hand from his pocket, a Sony VAIO laptop fell from his jacket to the ground.

The two victims positively identified Klein as the man who had approached and robbed them. The victim whose laptop was stolen was able to provide police officers with distinct identifying information about the laptop that proved it belonged to her.

Klein was represented by attorney Richard Noone. He is expected to return to court on April 12.