A 37-year-old man in Vietnam has been arrested for committing a shocking act of stealing his uncle’s bones from a grave and using them to extort money from his family. According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the man, identified as Luu Thanh Nam, from Thanh Hoa province in northern Vietnam, attempted to extort 5 billion Vietnamese dong ($203,000) from his extended family to settle his gambling debts. The deceased, who died four years earlier, was identified as the father of his cousin.
According to SCMP, the incident took place on September 9. The 37-year-old used a shovel to dig a 20cm hole in his uncle’s grave. He reportedly removed some of his uncle’s remains and concealed them in a nearby pile of rubbish. Then, the next day, he sent a threatening message to his cousin Luu Thanh Hoi’s wife using an anonymous phone number and demanded payment for the return of the bones. He also warned that if they contacted the cops, they would never recover the remains.
Alarmed by the message, Mr Hoi’s family checked the grave and discovered the hole in the coffin cap. They promptly alerted the authorities.
After an investigation, the 37-year-old was identified as the perpetrator. He later confessed to the crime, citing overwhelming gambling debts as his motive. The police recovered the stolen bones and returned them to the family.
On September 12, Luu Thanh Nam was arrested for grave desecration and extortion, with the specific penalties yet to be disclosed. Notably, penalties for grave desecration in Vietnam can be up to seven years in prison, and those convicted of extortion may face sentences of up to 20 years, depending on the amount involved.
Disturbing a grave is considered highly disrespectful in Vietnamese tradition. It is believed that digging up a grave can cause unrest to the deceased’s soul, potentially impacting the living. So, Mr Hoi reinterred his father’s remains according to local customs, hoping to restore peace to the spirit.
Meanwhile, on social media, the incident has garnered significant attention. “Isn’t this man afraid of facing bad karma? He should work honestly to repay his debts,” wrote one user.
“Stay away from gambling; don’t let money cloud your judgment,” said another.
