Wealthy man foils robbery

Liu Boquan

The Dongguan city government paid a 20,000 yuan (US$2,900) reward to a man who chased and helped capture two alleged robbers using his private car, helicopter and motorboat, the Guangzhou Daily reported yesterday.

Liu Boquan, who owns several restaurants in Changping, came across two men on a motorcycle trying to snatch a bag last Thursday.

Liu accelerated in his Porsche sedan and chased the men over three kilometers, forcing the motorbike to stop, the newspaper said.

Liu's son and his private pilot, who were in the Porsche with Liu, caught one of the men while the other jumped into a lake and refused to come out.

Liu called his private helicopter and boarded it, hovering near the man trying to force him out of the water.

After a 20-minute standoff, Liu called in his motorboat which was joined by a police motorboat to catch the man.

His determination triggered heated discussion on the Internet, some saying that if all wealthy men were as responsible as Liu, the rich and poor could live in harmony.

But some doubted Liu's intentions saying he was showing off his wealth.

Liu is vice head of the Changping Chamber of Commerce. He was the first person in Dongguan to acquire a license to fly gliders.

(Li Hao)