Man caught trying to loot bank with excavator in southern China

A young man has been arrested in southern China after he failed to rob a bank before dawn using his own excavator, mainland media reports.

The man, surnamed Luo, drove the digger to a branch of the China Construction Bank in Meizhou city, Guangdong province, and dug a large hole around the front door to loot the bank at about 5.30am on Sunday.

Four automated teller machines were damaged but no cash was lost, the Meizhou Daily reported.

Luo was still attempting to dig the hole when police arrived at the scene after receiving reports, an officer said.

Twisted metal, bricks and fragments of the ATMs were scattered about in front of the bank, the report said.