Four men suspected of stealing dogs and causing the death of three pursuers after shooting at them with electric stun guns have turned themselves in at Cu Chi District Police Station in HCM City.

The three dog thieves.

Ho Thanh An, 19 and Ho Van Hieu, 20, surrendered on Sunday, and two others - Pham Ngoc Thuan, 27, and Le Minh Hau, 19, did so yesterday. All four are residents of the city's Hoc Mon District.

Local reports say that last Saturday, two of the victims, Nguyen Minh Phuong and Pham Nguyen Quoc Huu, spotted the four men driving two motorbikes with three dogs they had stolen in Tan Thanh Dong Commune, Hoc Mon District. They called out to Huynh Kim Bao and gave chase on his motorbike.

The four thieves allegedly used hand-made electric stun guns, used to catch the dogs, to shoot at their pursuers, causing the latter to fall off their bikes.

Autopsies later showed that Bao, the driver, died because of multiple trauma including brain injury and ruptured lung and spleen as well as a swelling on his left forehead, suspected to have been caused by electrocution. The other two were also found to have suffered multiple trauma including brain injuries.

The four accused are reported to have confessed that they sold the three dogs for VND2 million (US$95) and shared the money.

Unofficial statistics show that since 2010, dog stealing has increased significantly, especially in the countryside, as has violence against suspected thieves. Dozens of suspected thieves have paid with their lives after angry mobs have caught up with them.

Last month, police of Chau Thanh District in the southern province of Ben Tre arrested three people for stealing seven dogs in Binh Dai District.

In June last year, two dog stealers shot at and injured four residents when trying to make their escape in Thach Thanh District in the central province of Thanh Hoa.

One of them was caught and beaten to death by the pursuing mob.

Three die in chase after dog thieves

Three young men in HCM City’s Cu Chi District died after attempting to chase after dog thieves, allegedly murdered by the culprits, one official has said.

Lieutenant-colonel, Tra Van Hon, head of the Police Department for Investigation of Social Order - Related Crimes in Cu Chi District confirmed on June 14 Cu Chi District Police were informed that there were three fatalities on Nguyen Kim Cuong Road.

The victims were Huynh Kim Bao, Pham Quoc Huu and Nguyen Minh Phuong, all 19-years old.

Police gathered evidence, including a motorbike, supposed to belong to Nguyen Quoc Huu, and three home-made knives around 60 centimetres long.

Results from the initial investigation seem show that there was a dog theft and Bao, Phuong and Huu drove a motorbike to chase after a group of four suspects who were trying to flee on two motorbikes.

Bao and his friends got into an accident. Bao died instantly, and Phuong and Huu were seriously injured and taken to Hospital 115 by local residents. By 10pm these two men died of serious brain trauma.

The exact cause of three young men's death is unknown at this point, but many witnesses reported that the four thieves used a home-made electrical gun to kill Bao.

“We’re cooperating with HCM City Police for a more thorough investigation,” Hon said.

Dog thefts appear to be rampant in Cu Chi District, Hon confirmed that they have recorded several cases in which dog thieves have used large motorbikes and home-made guns to capture dogs.

He added that they have arrested many of such thieves and seized these types of devices.

The incident in Cu Chi District has stirred up public concern over the effectiveness of the police force there.

VNS/VNN