A Rockhampton man who reportedly used his neighbours’ wireless internet connections to send dubious emails in an effort to extort money has been arrested in an undercover sting, according to the Associated Press (AP).

For several months, the 22-year-old man allegedly accessed other Rockhampton residents’ wireless connections and sent emails that could not be traced back to him, via his handheld computer or PDA, also accessing a “masking” service that allowed him to send the alleged threats to a variety of people using a magazine editor’s email address, Queensland police reported.

Police in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria – as well the Australian Federal Police – were involved in investigating the emails, said AP.

Rockhampton police said investigators thought they had traced the offender’s IP address to a home in the city’s north last week, however when officers arrived at the home, they discovered that the elderly couple living there had their wireless internet accessed by someone else.

“In the area, in North Rockhampton, 12 separate homes have been identified (as having emails sent from their connections),” Senr-Sgt Pickless told AP.

The breakthrough in the case reportedly came when the man allegedly demanded money to be dropped off at a certain location and was arrested by undercover officers there.

He has been charged with attempted extortion and sending hoax messages and police were analysing the man’s PDA and PC, said AP.