On 25/5, the Tay Ninh Provincial People's Court sentenced Nguyen Trung Thanh to 18 years in prison for property robbery.
According to the indictment, Thanh had previously operated a business in TP HCM, which failed, leading to substantial debt. Unable to repay his creditors, he conceived the idea of robbing a gold shop.
At the time of the offense, Thanh worked as a manager at a polyclinic in Tan Hoa commune, Dong Thap province, earning 20-30 million VND each month. During the trial, when the presiding judge questioned why he resorted to robbery despite a high income, Thanh explained his actions were driven by desperation. The court also inquired if he had seen numerous news reports about gold shop and bank robberies where perpetrators, despite elaborate disguises and plans, were still caught. Thanh nodded in affirmation.
To prepare for the crime, Thanh purchased a plastic gun online via Facebook for 570,000 VND.
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Nguyen Trung Thanh is escorted by police. Photo: Hoang Nam
On 22/7 last year, Thanh placed the gun into a backpack, borrowed a friend's motorbike under the pretense of work, and drove from Dong Thap to TP HCM, searching for a sparsely populated gold shop to rob. En route, he stopped at a roadside store to buy a hammer with a wooden handle and metal head.
Owner chased thief with knife
Upon arriving at the Ngoc Khanh Linh gold shop in Can Giuoc commune, Thanh noticed few customers inside and no security personnel. He parked his motorbike approximately 400 m from the scene, then donned a jacket and face mask, carried his backpack, and walked into the shop. Inside, the female owner was serving a customer, while her father, Vu Thanh Hai, stood nearby. According to the case file, Thanh brandished the plastic gun, declared, "This is a robbery, hand over the gold," and then used the hammer to smash a glass display case, taking many gold rings and necklaces, which he put into his backpack.
Hearing the commotion, Mr. Hai rushed to intervene, stating, "Don't rob, you will be caught anyway." However, Thanh demanded he step aside and continued collecting gold. Fearing the suspect might fire the gun, endangering his daughter and customers, Mr. Hai discreetly grabbed a long knife from the counter.
After taking the gold, Thanh pointed the gun at Mr. Hai, threatening, "Chase me and I will shoot," before fleeing.
Mr. Hai and several residents immediately pursued Thanh. While running, Thanh removed his pants, put the gun into his backpack, and brandished the hammer to resist. When Mr. Hai and two residents caught up, Thanh attacked them with the hammer. Mr. Hai defended himself with the knife, injuring Thanh in multiple places before he was subdued and disarmed.
Police subsequently recovered all stolen gold, including 79 rings and necklaces, valued at approximately 730 million VND. Following the incident, Thanh was hospitalized with a 48% injury rate. During the trial, the court determined Mr. Hai's actions constituted legitimate self-defense and therefore did not consider criminal liability against him.
Nguyen Trung Thanh delivers his final statement. Video: Hoang Nam
In his final statement, Thanh expressed remorse, apologized to the gold shop owner, and requested a reduced sentence to rebuild his life. The court stated that the defendant, desiring money without labor, used a fake gun to threaten the victim and steal property. When pursued, Thanh continued to use force to take the gold. This behavior caused local insecurity and necessitated his long-term isolation from society.
Hoang Nam
