A trio of bungling thieves in Colombia were forced to abandon a robbery after their 'getaway donkey' made too much noise and alerted local police.

The would-be criminal masterminds stole the donkey to use as their getaway 'vehicle', but soon found out the meaning of the phrase 'stubborn as a mule', when the animal refused to cooperate.

The group of men had managed to steal rum, oil, rice, cans of tuna and sardines from a shop in the town of Juan de Acosta, TV station Noticias Caracol and The Telegraph reported today.

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However, when the men loaded their ill-gotten gains onto the waiting getaway-beast the 10-year-old donkey, named Xavi, brayed so loudly that police came to investigate, forcing the thieves to ditch the mule - and their stolen goods.

All the stolen items were subsequently returned to the shop owner.

Xavi the donkey, meanwhile, was held at the police station for 12 hours until his owner came to collect him.