A man in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, was robbed at gunpoint last July after withdrawing 1.7 million yuan in cash from the Zhongmu Baisha Branch of Agricultural Bank of China. The victim, Mr. Ni, engaged in a struggle with the robber outside the bank for nearly 20 minutes, resulting in severe injuries including the loss of vision in his left eye. Shockingly, despite the commotion, none of the bank staff or security personnel came to his aid.
According to a report from Yangzi Evening News, Mr. Ni recalled the incident on July 2 last year when he left the bank with a suitcase containing 1.7 million yuan in cash. Just a few meters away from the bank’s entrance, he was accosted by a gunman who attempted to rob him. The scuffle between Mr. Ni and the assailant lasted for around twenty minutes, during which the robber, unable to succeed, fled on a motorcycle. Although Mr. Ni managed to retain the cash, he sustained severe facial injuries and lost vision in his left eye.
Mr. Ni stated that throughout the ordeal, he noticed the bank staff and security guards standing idly near the entrance, watching but making no effort to intervene or alert the authorities. It was a passerby who eventually called for an ambulance and reported the incident to the police.
The assailant, Wang, was apprehended on the same day and was later sentenced to death with a reprieve in February this year for the robbery. Despite Mr. Ni’s claim for 380,000 yuan in compensation, the court awarded him only around 73,000 yuan.
The court documents revealed that Wang resorted to robbery due to business failures and futures trading losses, rendering him unable to repay his debts. He staked out the bank looking for high-value withdrawal clients to rob.
Mr. Ni emphasized that he had pre-booked the large cash withdrawal at the bank, expecting the institution to ensure his safe departure. However, following the incident, the bank personnel and security failed to take any effective measures, prompting him to hold the bank accountable.
After contacting the bank involved, Mr. Ni expressed dissatisfaction with their response: “One of their leaders contacted me, but kept shifting the blame, and then the communication ceased.”
When reporters from Purple Cow News reached out to the local leadership of the Agricultural Bank of China in Zhengzhou, they did not provide a direct response to the matter.
On December 1st this year, Mr. Ni disclosed that the local banking and insurance regulatory authority had intervened to mediate the situation, but as of now, there has been no resolution.