BEIJING: A man in northern China has been placed under temporary police detention for fabricating an arrest warrant for himself on the internet out of boredom.
The individual, surnamed Wang, posted a message on social media titled “Wanted Order”, accompanied by a picture of himself, on November 11.
In his post, he claimed to be Wang Yibo, the name of a prominent mainland Chinese actor and dancer.
“I am a native of Qinyuan county, Changzhi city, Shanxi province. I extorted 30 million yuan (US$4 million) from a company on November 10, 2024.
“I possess a submachine gun and 500 bullets. If you find me, you will be rewarded 30,000 yuan (US$4,000),” the man stated in the post.
On November 12, local police in the county noticed this unusual entry from Wang, whose online alias is haoyunsuishiyou, meaning “have good luck anytime”.
Officers initiated an investigation and arrested him just hours later, according to the Legal Daily.
After thorough searches, the police determined that Wang did not possess any illegal items, such as guns or ammunition.
He also did not extort any company, the police confirmed.
Wang admitted to fabricating the wanted order because he was feeling disheartened and bored with his life.
His post had significant social repercussions, garnering 350,000 views within less than 24 hours, receiving 2,500 likes, and prompting about 80 netizens to comment, with 1,155 shares, according to police reports.
The police have imposed a “criminal coercive measure” on Wang for creating and disseminating false information.
A criminal coercive measure refers to police actions that restrict a suspect’s personal freedom, including detention, arrest, bail, and monitored living for a specified period.
“The internet is not beyond the reach of the law. Fabricating a story and spreading it are both criminal acts. Anyone who concocts or circulates rumours will face judicial consequences,” the police stated regarding the case.
The incident sparked a lively debate on mainland social media, with many users expressing amusement at Wang’s actions.
“This is the silliest guy in the news this year, haha,” commented one user.
Another viewer remarked: “I laughed a bit when I saw he was wanted by himself, but couldn’t help giggling when he claimed to be Wang Yibo.”
“Fine. You really are caught by the police now. Isn’t this what you wanted?” another commenter added. - South China Morning Post
