A Malaysian won 42,500 ringgit ($11,580) in a lottery by playing a four-digit number his dead grandmother had given him in a dream, a newspaper reported Saturday.

But luck soon ran out for mechanic Tan Tay Seck, who had bought two tickets with the 6064 combination he received from the apparition, the Star newspaper reported.

A thief stole the wallet with the second winning ticket and the lottery company refused to pay up without it.