Man Bought Racing Bike With Stolen Money, Caught After Bike Shop Posted Congratulatory Pics

Robber got caught due to a new bike congratulatory pics

On 8th January, in northern Vietnam’s Thai Nguyen Province, a man was arrested for robbing a bank. Ironically, the clues that led to his whereabouts were congratulatory pictures and a video on the social media of the shop where he used the stolen money to buy a new racing bike.

Turns out, he gave some money to his girlfriend and spent a large amount on a racing bike. Here’s how his plan unfolded.

Step 1: he robbed a bank

According to Tuoi Tre, as Nguyen Van Nam (24) had turned penniless due to unemployment, he decided to make money in an unexpected way – robbing a bank. On the afternoon of 7 January, at a Vietcombank branch on Dinh Vu Street, Dong Hai 2 Ward, Hai An District, Hai Phong City, he came in and sat in the waiting area to wait for his chance.

When he felt that the money on the tellers’ desktop was enough and there were few people around, he drew a gun to threaten the staff. He also fired towards the ceiling, urging them to hand over the money quickly. Then he proceeded to steal the guard’s motorcycle and got away with VND3,000,000,000 (~USD132,000).

Nam used a gun to threaten the staff. Later he also stole the guard’s motorbike to escape.
Image credit: Da Nang Security Channel

Step 2: he fled on a racing bike

After leaving the crime scene, Nam suddenly left his stolen motorbike near Tân Vũ Bridge – Lạch Huyện, which was about 13 km from the bank, and took a taxi. When arrived home, he buried some money at the base of an apricot tree and gave some to his girlfriend. For his part, he set aside the rest and fled to another province.

As reported by Vietnamnet, Nam went to a motorbike shop in Hanoi to buy a Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R 2021, which costs about VND700,000,000 (~USD31,000). According to the report, he was extremely happy when the purchase was done. He also agreed to take some congratulatory pictures and record a first-ride video with the staff.

The shop owner filmed Nam’s first ride, showing his decisiveness in buying the bike.
Image credit: Beatvn

Step 3: he got arrested

On 8 January 2022, the pictures and videos were posted on the shop’s social media. The shop owner did not forget to express his impression that a man as young as Nam could manage to buy a luxurious racing bike without bargaining.

Thanks to these clues, the investigators could easily discover that he was hiding in Bac Son Ward, Pho Yen Town, Thai Nguyen Province, about 89km from the bike shop. Upon arresting him, the police also retrieved his gun and the motorbike. After that, his girlfriend was also called to retrieve the money. Further investigation is now underway.

One of the congratulatory pictures uploaded on social media by the bike shop
Image source: Kawasaki Việt Nam – Thưởng Motor Hà Nội

Make wise decisions for your financial goals

Robbing a bank is not a usual thing in Vietnam, but a case like this is even scarcer. If we’re longing for luxurious goods beyond our budget, savings or appropriate instalment services will always be wiser choices than robbing a bank.

Also check out:

Cover image adapted from: Da Nang Security Channel and Kawasaki Việt Nam – Thưởng Motor Hà Nội

Enjoying The Smart Local Vietnam? Follow us on Facebook, Telegram, Instagram, and LinkedIn for more stories like this. If you have a story to share, email us at pressvn@thesmartlocal.com.