Man in China files false robbery report to avoid handing pay cheque to wife

The man's fake story that he had been robbed came undone when police checked traffic camera footage. PHOTOS: SCREENGRAB FROM PEAR VIDEO

HANGZHOU - A man's plan to avoid handing over his pay cheque to his wife by filing a false police report backfired, after police saw through his ruse with the help of traffic camera footage.

The man, surnamed Cai, lives in Hangzhou in eastern China's Zhejiang province. He was detained for 10 days and fined 500 yuan (S$103) for his act.

According to a report in the Global Times on Monday (Sept 11), Cai had walked into a local police station on Aug 31, claiming to have been robbed while riding his electric bicycle home from work.

But suspicions were raised when Cai appeared calm when questioned, and did not appear to be affected by the alleged robbery.

A review of traffic camera footage from the area showed him riding on his electric bicycle, with not a robber in sight.

Cai eventually admitted that he had wanted to file a false robbery report to avoid handing over money to his wife, having run out of excuses.

"He said his wife is always asking for money whenever he gets paid," said detective Chen Xi.

"Sometimes he'd say he had lost it, or that he had spent it all."

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