KUALA TERENGGANU, MALAYSIA: They must have thought the hard part was over after having broken through a wall to get into a goldsmith shop in Batu Enam. They thought wrong.

The thieves ended up leaving empty-handed because they could not force open the safe containing RM1 million worth of jewellery.

The thieves had tried to take full advantage of the weekend by breaking into the Rubber Smallholders Co-operative office next to the goldsmith shop and making a hole in the wall.

District police chief Assistant Commissioner Zamri Shamsuddin said the failed attempt was discovered by store manager Rokiad Ali yesterday.

"Aside from finding a hole in the wall and the shop in a mess, the staff also found food containers and wet towels in the shop bathroom, which showed that the thieves had made the shop their home for most of Thursday and Friday."

Rokiad said she and her assistants also found several used tyres in the shop.

"We think they were trying to use the tyres to drag the safe out," she said.