Chinese farmer suspected of stealing chickens and ducks to keep his US$290,000 luxury BMW on the road
- Police say suspect is a wealthy farmer who struck at night on a motorbike
- Officers detained the man after checks on surveillance cameras from rural roads
Police have detained a man suspected of stealing then selling chickens and ducks from villages in southwestern China to pay for petrol for his 2 million yuan (US$289,500) BMW.
Officers said the suspect stole the birds during raids in Linshui county, Sichuan province, since April, the Red Star News app reported.
The 50-year-old, who was not named in the report, is a wealthy farmer who lives in a multistorey villa, the officers were reported as saying.
Police said the suspect thought of stealing chickens and ducks when he ran into financial trouble and needed to “subsidise” his spending on petrol. The BMW was a thirsty car, the suspect was quoted as saying.
Officers said they identified the suspect based on footage from surveillance cameras on rural roads, adding that he usually rode a motorcycle into villages late at night, according to the report.