(Image source from: Indiatimes.com)

In a bizarre yet hilarious incident, a thief in China, who intended to steal money from a woman while in ATM, returned the money as soon as he realized that her account balance was almost zero.

Based on the surveillance camera footage from inside the ICBC bank, a woman surnamed Li was making an ATM withdrawal when a man suddenly threatened her with a knife, demanding money.

In a panic, Li handed over the 2,500 yuan to the man and he then demanded to see her account balance. However, after checking her account balance, he realized that she had no money left.

Out of sympathy he handed the money back to her and left grinning. But that gesture was not enough to escape arrest. Local authorities eventually caught and detained him for armed robbery.

By Sowmya Sangam