DANNY MOK

A robber died during a raid on a store in Tsuen Wan when he fell and severed an artery with the meat cleaver he was carrying.

Police said the 24-year-old man, surnamed Lam, was armed with the 30cm-long cleaver and a stun gun. He turned up at an electronic parts trading company on the 16th floor of the Thriving Industrial Centre in Sha Shui Road at about 5pm disguised as an expressman with a parcel.

Lam tried to attack the receptionist with the stun gun but she yelled for help and ducked. The robber hit her on the head with a hard object, but a male employee was alerted and scuffled with the suspect, who fled along a staircase.

While bending to pick up his stun gun after dropping it, the cleaver hidden in his trousers pierced the femoral artery in his left thigh. He pulled it out and ran, making it to the 13th floor before he became too weak and collapsed in a pool of blood.

Police followed a trail of blood and found the man lying unconscious.

Lam was taken to Yan Chai Hospital where medical treatment proved futile and he was declared dead at 6.32pm.

Police found a meat cleaver and stun gun at the scene.

Tsuen Wan District Crime Squad is looking into the case, which was classified as a robbery.

The receptionist, who suffered a minor head injury, was treated in hospital.

A doctor said major blood loss from such a wound could have killed Lam in 30 minutes.

"The pierced artery is like a leaking mains water pipe. The blood can gush like a fountain under high blood pressure," Anthony Ng Wing-keung said, adding that the blood loss would have been quicker after Lam pulled the cleaver out of his leg.

Submitted on 04/02/2007

Submitted by: Anonymous
Reference: South China Morning Post (Hong Kong) Tuesday, April 3, 2007

Copyright © 2007 DarwinAwards.com

Bruce said:
Definitely Keep: Darwin Award
I don't know about you, but if I was hiding a meat cleaver in my pants I'd be VERY careful when bending over. Thanks for sending this in!

Chip said:
Definitely Keep: Urban Legend
Is that a meat cleaver in your pants or are you just happy to be dead? Wow, how did he manage to get it in his pants in the first place? Yep, Lam found out you should be more careful where you put your cutlery when you are on the lam. Thanks for the story!