China thieves gas selves in cyanide heist blunder

BEIJING, Apr 29 (Reuters) Two hapless Chinese thieves gassed themselves to death with cyanide along with five intended victims while trying to rob a gambling den in the city of Ruichang, the Xinhua news agency reported today.

A court in nearby Jiujiang on Thursday sentenced their three surviving accomplices to death for the robbery, carried out last June.

One of the three passed out for several hours from the effects of the gas -- but still remembered to rob the dead of 15,950 yuan (1,990 dollars), five mobile phones and a gold necklace when he came round, Xinhua said.

REUTERS PG PM1741