Bungling South Korean bank robber with dinosaur water gun foiled by ex-special forces soldier

SOUTH KOREA: A would-be robber in South Korea’s Busan city was quickly subdued after attempting to hold up a bank with a most unusual weapon—a dinosaur-shaped water gun. The comical crime, which took place on February 10 in Gijang-gun, has since sparked widespread amusement across Chinese social media.

According to the latest South China Morning Post report, the drama unfolded when a man in his 30s entered the bank wearing a scarf and hat, carrying a travel bag. He made his way to the second floor, where he pulled out a black plastic bag and, claiming to be armed, yelled, “Get down on your knees!” causing panic among the employees and customers.

Among those present was a 53-year-old customer, Park Cheon Gyu, a former special forces soldier. When the robber demanded that bank staff fill his travel bag with 50,000 Korean won bills (roughly US$34), Park acted swiftly. With the help of several employees, he subdued the man in less than two minutes.

What shocked everyone—including the police—was the contents of the black bag. Rather than a weapon, it contained a child’s toy — a dinosaur-shaped water gun.

While the situation was undeniably tense at the time, with people terrified by the robber’s actions, the absurdity of the weapon sparked plenty of laughter on social media, especially in China. “Even artificial intelligence couldn’t create such a ridiculous story,” one netizen quipped.

Park, who was at the bank that day with his wife for her birthday, explained his quick thinking. “I realised that I was the only one in the position to act, so I decided to take the bag from him. I just wanted to resolve it quickly,” he said. “My wife says this will be a birthday she’ll never forget.”

Police later revealed that the robber, facing financial troubles and being unemployed for five years, had not even bothered to plan an escape. Without a getaway vehicle, his clumsy robbery attempt quickly ended in failure.

In the end, the only thing he succeeded in was landing himself behind bars, where, ironically, his financial struggles may finally be resolved—albeit in prison.

On Chinese social media, users couldn’t resist adding their commentary, with one observer joking, “Well, now the robber has solved his financial difficulties— in prison.”