A male robber killed the owner of the house that he was trying to thieve and hid her body in a water tank after the woman had discovered his intrusion in the northern Vietnamese province of Lao Cai on Friday.

Police in Lao Cai said on Saturday that they had arrested Chao Ong Khe, a 28-year-old man from the province’s Sa Pa Town, for the investigation of murder and robbery.

According to the police, having been released from prison in October 2020, Khe worked as a day laborer specializing in rock drilling in Sa Pa Town and Bat Xat District.

Due to his addiction for gambling and video games, Khe was heavily indebted.

He thus had an intention to steal properties to pay off his debts.

At around 9:45 am on Friday, Khe broke into the residence of V.T.C., a 65-year-old local woman in Lang Moi Village in Muong Vi Commune in Bat Xat.

As C. discovered Khe’s presence in the house, Khe knocked her down before using a wooden stick to hit her in the nape.

Seeing the victim lying motionless, Khe carried and put her body into a water tank in C.’s kitchen. 

After that, Khe went to C.’s room and opened a cabinet, from which he got more than VND13 million (US$564) and then escaped from the scene.

Later on the same morning, C.’s family members came home from work and discovered the incident.

Determining this is a serious case of murder and robbery, the Lao Cai police checked and blocked border gateways in case the suspect wanted to flee abroad.

It was until 10:00 pm on the same day that Khe was arrested while hiding in Sa Pa Town.