The great robbery of Nanking

Prodded by our relentless editors to find stuff in the Chinese media, we came across a rather strange article, the date of which was yesterday, but which referred to an event that happened almost ten months ago in early March of 2007. The article talks about a robbery in Nanjing of two foreigners, in their apartment, by two Chinese men.

What was amusing about this was the comedy of errors-type way it happened: the two men, surnamed Liu and Huang, were looking for someone to rob. They hear music coming from an apartment, and go knocking on the door. To their surprise, a blue-eyed foreigner opens the door and, thinking they have business being there, hands them his mobile phone. On the other side is a translator, who asks them if they are there to check the water meter. Not knowing what to do, they beat a hasty retreat. A while later, they try a second time but again, chicken out. They regroup and one says "we can't be soft because they are foreigners. They can't speak the language, that'll make it easier for us to rob them." So, thinking that the third time's the charm, they go back.

The foreigner opens the door and is not pleased, and doesn't even bother getting his phone. They muscle their way in and then take out a hammer and threateningly say, in English, "MONEY! MONEY!" The foreigner is totally taken off-guard and replies "Meiyou! Meiyou!"

A woman comes out and she screams. The thieves tie them up and tape their mouths shut, and proceed to take some money, laptops, and other stuff. The foreigners reported the robbery, and the thieves were caught.

Ok, maybe that wasn't so funny. Guess you had to be there.