The opening of a subway station in southern China has been delayed after an armed gang stormed the site and stole the escalator.

Gouwugongyuan station in Shenzhen was raided on Thursday afternoon by more than 20 armed men, who spent an afternoon systematically removing building materials including the entire escalator and six steel pillars. "They told us not to move and started to loot the place," said one worker.

According to construction workers, theft at subway sites in the city has become commonplace. One described a recent operation in which robbers "sent in a crane to lift their loot on to trucks. It's completely lawless."

· Spotted in the South China Morning Post, December 4