Thieving coconut crab snips through golfer's club on Christmas Island

Jan. 3 (UPI) -- A member of a golfing party on Australia's Christmas Island captured video when a massive coconut crab attempted to steal a golf club -- and ended up chopping through the shaft with its claws.

Paul Buhner said he was out for a Friday golf outing with friends, but he wasn't playing due to a shoulder injury.

"Friday golf is a religion on the island. Even if you can't play you go out and support the boys and have a beer and that's basically what I was doing," Buhner told News.com.au.

Buhner captured video when a large coconut crab -- also known as a "robber crab" due to the species' penchant for thievery -- climbed onto a friend's bag and took hold of a club. The footage was posted to YouTube by Buhner's wife.

The men attempted to wrest the club free from the crab's grip, but the crustacean ended up using its claws to cut right through the club's shaft. The crab left the broken club behind, but scuttled off with a club cover, Buhner said.

Buhner said the crab may have been attracted by old food in his friend's bag.