Chinese Man Steals 8 Cars Across 7 Cities to Avoid Flight Fare

A Chinese man surnamed Chen, from Liaoning province, stole eight cars across seven cities during a 14-hour journey home to avoid paying for an expensive 1,500 yuan (approximately $200) flight ticket. Initially purchasing a plane ticket, Chen canceled it and resorted to stealing vehicles from unlocked dealerships and unattended parking lots, tampering with ignitions of older models and taking keys from storage cabinets. He abandoned each car when it ran out of fuel, stealing valuables from them to cover meals and tolls. Police tracked one stolen car from Wuhan, and after Chen injured a car owner during a theft attempt in Hebei province, he was arrested on June 4 while asleep inside one of the stolen vehicles. The combined value of the recovered cars is close to one million yuan (around $140,000), and Chen faces over 10 years in prison under Chinese law. The story went viral on Chinese social media, sparking discussions about the extreme measures taken to avoid travel costs and reflecting on Chen's determination despite his criminal actions.