How Did a Chinese Thief Cancel His Flight and Steal 8 Cars?

Chinese Thief: To avoid paying for an “expensive” airfare, a man from northeastern China stole eight cars and drove them home one after the other, shocking the internet. The man, whose last name is Chen, is from Liaoning province and had been traveling alone in Changsha, Hunan province, in central China, according to mainland media site New Yellow River. He paid 1,500 yuan (US$200) for a trip home on May 31 but decided it was too costly and canceled. Chen, an experienced auto burglar, went back to his previous behavior.

How did this thief plan this master plan?

Chen broke into unlocked car dealerships at night, stole keys from cabinets, and drove off in vehicles that were waiting for service. He also forced his way into unguarded, quiet parking lots, chose older models, and tampered with their ignitions to start them. Starting in June, he stole eight cars while traveling north through seven towns. Whenever a car ran out of fuel, he abandoned it and stole another. To save money, he used valuables from the stolen cars to pay for road tolls and buy food. Throughout his journey, Chen spent over 14 hours driving.

Also Read: Did This Indian-Origin Entrepreneur Buy an Island for Startups?

How did he get caught?

An employee at a showroom in Wuhan, central China, alerted the police on June 2 after noticing missing car keys and a vehicle worth over 150,000 yuan (US$20,000). Officers quickly tracked the stolen car as it headed north out of Wuhan. The next day, they caught Chen attempting to steal another vehicle in Hebei province. He escaped in a rush and injured the vehicle’s owner during his getaway.

However, on June 4, police found Chen dozing off inside a car in a Hebei parking lot and arrested him on the spot. Chinese reports revealed that Chen had stolen a total of eight vehicles, collectively worth around one million yuan, or approximately $140,000. Authorities have recovered all the stolen cars. Police continue to hold Chen in custody as they proceed with the investigation. Under Chinese law, serious auto theft charges can result in a prison sentence of up to ten years, along with a fine.

Also Read: Eating Collagen vs Applying It: Which Gives Faster Results?