Dark humor

German man dies after blowing up condom machine

Image copyrightEPA

Image captionThe 29-year-old was hit in the head by a steel shard

A German man died on Christmas Day after blowing up a condom dispenser with a homemade bomb in a botched robbery, police say.

The 29-year-old and two accomplices attached the bomb to the vending machine in a quiet street before taking cover in their vehicle.

But the victim did not close the door in time and was struck in the head by a steel shard from the explosion.

His accomplices took him to hospital but he later died of his wounds.

The men told staff at the hospital in the western town of Schoppingen that their unconscious friend had fallen down the stairs.

But one of them later admitted to police that they had blown up the machine.

Police confirmed that none of the money or condoms from the machine had been taken.

The two surviving men were arrested before later being released from custody.