An armed thief pierced an artery in his thigh with his own weapon during a robbery in Hong Kong on Monday, later dying of major blood loss.

Pretending to be an express courier, the 24-year-old man surnamed Lam was permitted entry in an electronic parts trading company on the 16th floor of an industrial building about 5 pm. He tried to attack the receptionist with a stun gun but she fought back.The stun gun dropped to the ground in the scuffle. When Lam bent to pick it up, a sharp cleaver he hid in his trousers pierced the artery. Lam tried to flee along the staircase but collapsed in a pool of blood when he reached the 13th floor.