Buddhist monk fights with wallet-stealing robber

An American Buddhist monk waiting at a lottery machine has fought with a robber who made off with his wallet.

The 61-year-old monk was anything but monastic when the man grabbed his wallet and ran out of a petrol station on January 3, the Philadelphia Daily News reports.

Surveillance footage shows the orange-clad monk giving chase and tussling with the man before the man shoves him to the ground and flees in a dark silver car.

The wallet is said to have contained $350 in cash.

The monk suffered a cut to his leg during the struggle.

Philadelphia police are still searching for the robber and are appealing for information.