On the afternoon of April 21, a daring bank robbery took place at the Phu My transaction office of VietinBank, located inside the Phu Nghia Industrial Park in Chuong My district, Hanoi.

The suspect, a masked man armed with a knife and a bottle believed to contain gasoline, threatened staff to hand over money before making a swift escape.

Details of the incident

The robbery occurred around 2:00 PM on April 21. Surveillance footage from the scene captured a man wearing a short-sleeved shirt, a black baseball cap, a face mask, and carrying a backpack, walking into the bank’s transaction office.

Upon entering, the suspect pulled a knife and a bottle of liquid, likely gasoline, from his backpack to threaten the bank employees. He moved around the transaction area aggressively, then threw his backpack onto the counter and demanded that staff fill it with cash.

One female teller, visibly frightened, immediately opened a drawer and placed all the available cash into the suspect’s bag. At one point, the robber even climbed onto the counter while still holding the knife, displaying a high level of aggression. After collecting the money, he quickly grabbed the backpack and exited the bank, walking toward National Highway 6.

Eyewitness recounts confrontation with the suspect

Mr. X.C., a local resident who witnessed the scene, said the robbery occurred around 1:30 PM. “I saw a man in trousers and a white short-sleeved shirt, wearing a black cap and holding a knife and what looked like a bottle of gasoline,” he said. A friend who was with him also witnessed the event and chased after the suspect while shouting 'robbery, robbery!', threatening to call the police.

“The suspect remained calm, walked toward a motorbike parked nearby, and sped off,” Mr. X.C. recalled. Before fleeing, the suspect turned back and shouted menacingly, 'Don’t make me lose my temper,' highlighting the danger he posed.

Police respond, secure the crime scene

Shortly after the incident, Phu Nghia commune police arrived to secure the scene and reported the case to Hanoi Police Department.

Mr. Lo Van Cuong, Chairman of Phu Nghia commune’s People’s Committee, confirmed that the robbery happened around 2:00 PM at the Phu My transaction office of VietinBank.

By around 6:00 PM the same day, authorities were still examining the scene, with no official disclosure yet of the amount stolen.

A reporter at the location noted that by 8:00 PM, the entire area surrounding the transaction office had been cordoned off, with police continuing their investigation both inside and outside the bank.

The transaction office is located within the premises of Phu My Group Joint Stock Company, which has a dedicated gate and security post. However, according to one witness, “The security guards there are older men, and clearly incapable of subduing an armed and aggressive thief.”

Another resident said he heard shouts of “robbery” from inside the bank and rushed out to see two security guards filming the suspect on their phones while yelling for help. “I picked up a brick to chase him, but he had already fled on his motorbike,” the resident recounted.

Urgent search for the suspect

The Hanoi Police Department has ordered the Criminal Investigation Division to work with relevant units in investigating and locating the suspect. Authorities have also urged anyone with information about the suspect, the getaway vehicle, or the escape route to promptly report it to the nearest police station to aid in the investigation.

As of now, the amount of money stolen has not been revealed. Investigators are reviewing footage from nearby streets and collecting witness testimonies to narrow down potential leads.

Tien Dung