Washed-up thief nearly drowns

A thief almost drowned attempting to evade police by jumping into a river in Baoji, Shaanxi province on Sunday.

The 20-year-old suspect surnamed Liu was stealing goods worth 20,000 yuan ($3,202) from a local bar when the owner caught him.

After learning police were notified, Liu jumped into the nearby Wei River.

Officers arrived to find Liu struggling to swim.

"The water was very cold and he seemed to run out of energy," said the police.

Two policemen jumped into the river and pulled Liu to safety.

"Life should be cherished, even though he is a thief," said a policeman at the scene.

"He just caught a cold and got a calf cramp. He would have died if we hadn't arrived in time," he added.

Liu was detained and confessed to police that he had robbed the bar several times in the past.