Police in Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City have detained a laptop snatcher who stabbed his victim to death and injured a police captain who chased him.

28-year-old Cao Xuan Lap, the aggressive robber, was arrested yesterday morning after he killed 22-year-old Hoang Ngoc Tri and injured police captain Vo Sy Hoang, from the Tan Phu District Police.

According to the case file, at 10:30 am Monday, Tri, with a laptop bag on his shoulder, was driving his girlfriend on a motorbike on Hoang Hoa Tham street in Tan Binh District when Lap came up from behind on a motorbike, snatched the bag from Tri, and sped up to flee.

Tri chased after Lap and ran his bike into Lap’s, and both bikes crashed to the ground. They wrestled and Lap pulled out a knife and stabbed Tri in the chest and belly before running to the Hoang Hoa Tham Market.

Captain Hoang, who was traveling on the street, ran after the robber and caught up with him later, but Lap also stabbed Hoang and escaped to Dong Xoai street. Lap then threatened other drivers in an attempt to rob their motorbikes but he failed, so he got on an Air Blade scooter parked on the street and drove away with it.

At this moment Cat Van Thuan, 31, who was driving his moto on the street, crashed into Lap, sending both to the pavement. Thuan and some locals then snatched the knife from Lap and seized him.

Robber and murderer Cao Xuan Lap (Photo: Tuoi Tre)

Tri was taken to My Duc Hospital in Tan Binh District but died soon after due to severe injuries to his heart.

Meanwhile, Captain Hoang suffered two serious stab wounds in his face and arm, but he has recovered from critical condition and is being further treated at Cho Ray Hospital, said Senior Lieutenant Colonel Tang Chau Long, deputy chief of the Tan Phu District police, said.

Tri’s life was taken life by Lap while he was on the way to find a job after graduating from the University of Culture, a man who called himself simply as Hung, an uncle of the dead victim, told Tuoi Tre.

“The laptop was a valuable asset to Tri since it had been bought with money saved by him and his family,” Hung said.

Meanwhile, Cao Trung Tan, 61, the father of the murderer, said his family left their native Quang Ngai to live in HCMC 20 years ago.

Lap, the eldest child in the family, dropped out of school when he finished grade 9 and then studied to become an electronic repairman, but his job was not stable, Tan said.

Tri's girlfriend mourns over the coffin containing his body (Photo: Tuoi Tre)