48-hour manhunt underway for man who used fake grenades to rob a bank in Nghe An.

Using fake grenades to commit robbery.

At approximately 4:30 PM on February 1, 2024, the Cua Lo Town Police received a report from bank officials and local residents about a robbery that occurred in Thu Thuy Ward (Cua Lo Town). According to initial information, the robbery took place at the Cua Lo branch of the Vietnam Industrial and Commercial Bank (VietinBank).

While the bank branch was still open, a masked man wearing a gray jacket and helmet, riding a motorbike, brazenly stormed into the branch. He used weapons including a sharp knife and what appeared to be a grenade to threaten and intimidate the staff in order to rob them of money. After stealing a large sum of money, the suspect quickly fled towards Vinh City.

Immediately after receiving the report, the leaders of the Nghe An Provincial Police directed the establishment of a special investigation team, mobilizing all available forces to investigate. A Deputy Director of the Provincial Police was assigned as the head of the special investigation team, directly supervising the Vinh City Police, the Criminal Police Department, the Cua Lo Town Police, the Nghi Loc District Police, relevant professional units, and coordinating with professional departments of the Ministry of Public Security to comprehensively implement all operational measures, determined to solve the case as quickly as possible.

The investigation into the case faced numerous difficulties; the suspect was very sophisticated and cunning, frequently changing vehicles, clothing, and masks while on the run, and moving in a circuitous manner through various routes to evade law enforcement.

Just 48 hours later, at 4:30 PM on February 3, 2024, at Km 454+300 on National Highway 1A in Nghi Lien commune (Vinh City), joint forces intercepted and apprehended the suspected individual along with related evidence, including a Yamaha Sirius motorcycle, a set of clothes the suspect was wearing during the crime, and other items.

Through verification, the main perpetrator of the robbery was identified as Dinh Khuong Linh (born in 1986), residing in Nghi Lien commune, Vinh City. With his stubborn nature and two previous convictions, the suspect initially refused to confess, but through strong will, determination, sharp investigative techniques, and irrefutable evidence, at 5:30 AM on February 4, 2024, Dinh Khuong Linh finally confessed.

When questioned about the weapons used in the crime, the suspect confessed that because he works as a gardener, he always keeps them in the trunk of his car for work. Regarding the fake grenade and fake license plate, Linh admitted that he found them on the roadside earlier and kept them in the trunk as toys. Before committing the robbery, Linh removed the original license plate and replaced it with a fake one to avoid detection by law enforcement.

Robbing a bank to… play video games.

Immediately after completing the case file, on February 17, 2024, the Criminal Investigation Agency of Cua Lo Town Police Department initiated a criminal case, indicted and detained Dinh Khuong Linh for the crime of "Robbery". These decisions were approved by the People's Procuracy of the same level. Dinh Khuong Linh was indicted under Clause 2, Article 168 of the Penal Code, which carries a sentence of 7 to 15 years in prison.

Investigations from several people involved, as well as footage from security cameras, indicate that upon entering the center of the transaction room, Linh shouted "robbery," simultaneously throwing a black plastic bag into the area where the bank employees were working. She then pulled out a knife in her right hand and yelled, "Put the money in quickly, robbery, put the money in quickly!"

Not only that, with the fake grenade, Linh threatened to pull the pin, causing bank employees and customers to flee. Afterward, Linh intimidated a male bank employee into taking money from the drawer and putting it in a bag. Then, Linh sat down, took the money out of the bag, and put it back in with trash.

Linh repeatedly brandished the grenade, urging the male employee on. Seeing the bulging plastic bag, Linh said, "It's not money, don't try to trick me." The man then climbed onto the counter, jumped behind the counter, ordered the employee to stand away, took the money from the floor, put it in the bag, and escaped.

Through investigation, the bank confirmed that the amount Linh stole from the teller counter was 52 million VND. However, during her escape, Linh dropped 6 million VND in front of the transaction room.

At the Police Investigation Agency, Dinh Khuong Linh admitted that his gaming addiction and unstable job were the reasons behind the bank robbery. He had someone transfer a portion of the stolen money into his account to pay for online gaming expenses, while the rest was used to pay off debts and for personal spending.

Sentenced on Family Day

The trial of Dinh Khuong Linh was held at the People's Court of Cua Lo town on June 28, 2024. The defendant Linh was prosecuted for the crime of "Robbery".

At the trial, defendant Dinh Khuong Linh admitted to all the crimes as charged in the indictment. He confessed that he rode his motorbike to Cua Lo with the intention of "visiting" ornamental plants, but when he passed a bank branch in Thu Thuy ward, he saw that it was deserted, so he decided to rob it to get money for spending and playing games. Linh also admitted that before committing the robbery, he had pawned his wife's motorbike to play games. He also admitted that he had almost no financial means to support his wife in raising their children. However, after Linh was arrested, his wife and family compensated the bank 6.3 million VND.

Notably, exactly 20 years ago, on June 28, 2004, this individual also stood before the court to receive a 3-month prison sentence for "Abuse of trust to appropriate property." Prior to that, on September 30, 2003, Linh was sentenced by the People's Court of Nghi Loc District to 24 months of non-custodial correctional training for "Fraudulent appropriation of property."

After serving his sentences for the two aforementioned offenses, on August 27, 2004, Dinh Khuong Linh was given a warning by the Nghi Loc District Police for the act of "intentionally damaging property".

On Vietnamese Family Day, Dinh Khuong Linh had to stand before the court to receive his second sentence in solitude. His wife, Ms. T., was working far away to support the family and was unable to attend the trial. This unfortunate woman, a native of the Mekong Delta, accepted being separated from her family to follow her husband to a foreign land, but Linh's reckless and irresponsible behavior left his wife and children without support.

Given the opportunity to speak his final words, defendant Linh expressed remorse and hoped for a reduced sentence so that he could return to his family and fulfill his responsibilities as a husband and father once again...

The presiding judge stated that the defendant had been repeatedly prosecuted for property infringement but showed no remorse and continued to commit crimes. The defendant's criminal conduct was particularly serious, negatively impacting security, order, and social safety.

After a comprehensive review of the case, the Judging Panel of the People's Court of Cua Lo town sentenced Dinh Khuong Linh to 8 years in prison, higher than the 7 to 7 years and 6 months sentence proposed by the representative of the People's Procuracy of Cua Lo town at the trial. He was also ordered to compensate the bank for the remaining amount of 39.6 million VND.