Ren Xiao Feng

Ma Xiangjing

Police are searching for two daring bank employees who allegedly stole nearly 51 million yuan ($6.54 million) on Saturday.

The two men walked out of the Handan branch of Agricultural Bank of China in Hebei Province where they were trusted employees and fled in a van.

Police described the employees are 34-year-old Ren Xiaofeng and 37-year-old Ma Xiangjing.

They are on China's most wanted list, suspected of stealing the cash from the bank's Handan branch.

The two men fled the scene in a grey van, the Ministry of Public Security said on its website.

The men, both about 1.7 meters tall, worked in the bank's cash storage center. Police said that the chubby, round-faced Ren was wearing a white shirt over a blue T-shirt. His accomplice, Ma, has a youthful appearance and wavy hair.

The China News Service reported yesterday that someone in Shanxi Province had spotted the van they used.

Those who provide information that lead to the arrest of the suspects could claim a reward of 50,000 yuan, police said.

Crimes committed by bank employees have shocked the country. Banks have also experienced huge losses in recent years from embezzlement.

In January 2005, Gao Shan, the former chief of a Bank of China branch in Harbin, fled to Canada after allegedly embezzling nearly 1 billion yuan ($128 million) from customers' accounts.

He was arrested by Canadian police and the two countries are discussing his extradition.