An image of Li Xuyu on a mobile phone. Photo: Sohu.com
Source:
https://scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2065340/chinese-security-van-guard-robs-his-own-truck-gunpoint China
Chinese security van guard robs his own truck at gunpoint
Man was heavily in debt and threatened fellow guards with what later turned out to be a toy gun, according to newspaper report
A screen grab of a television report about the robbery in Liaoning province. Photo: Handout
A security truck driver has gone on trial for robbing his own vehicle of six million yuan (HK$6.8 million) in northeast China, according to a newspaper report.
Li Xuyu is accused of threatening four of his colleagues at “gunpoint” before making off with the cash in Yingkou in Liaoning province, The Beijing News reported.
Li, 36, shed tears and begged for mercy from the judge at his trial in the city, according to the article.
He said heavy debts had driven him to madness in carrying out the robbery.
Li, a former businessman, worked for a local security company that was transporting cash to a local branch of the Agricultural Bank of China last September.
The money was in 17 sacks and two suitcases, totaling 35 million yuan.
Li pulled the vehicle off the designated route and disarmed four colleagues by pointing a toy gun at their heads, according to prosecutors.
He tied them up with plastic tape and drove the vehicle to a residential car park.
He took three bags containing six million yuan and returned home, according to the prosecution.
Hours later police arrived at his apartment under the guidance of his wife.
Li gave himself up without a struggle and all the money was recovered.
Li told the court he had acted on impulse under the pressure of mounting debts caused by a business failure in the economic downturn.
Li’s lawyer said the toy gun was not a weapon and he should not be charged with armed robbery.
The lawyer also presented evidence to the court that Li’s financial difficulty was in part caused by the local district government, which had employed his former company in a demolition project but did not pay the agreed fees.
The court said it would deliver a verdict after the Lunar New Year holiday.