When committing a crime, it’s important to have a backup plan if you don’t get away with it. A Chinese man who carried out a gas station robbery in 2009 has spent the last 14 years hiding from the police in a mountain cave.
Liu Moufu, from China’s Hubei province, was in his mid-thirties when he took part in a gas station robbery that also involved his brother-in-law and another accomplice. They ended up landing $22.50, quickly spending a big chunk on food and fireworks. Each person walked away with a measly $4.60 in their pockets.
It wasn’t long before the police found Moufu’s accomplices and arrested them. Instead of waiting around for the cops to show up at his doorstep, Moufu decided to find somewhere to hide out over spending time in prison.
Moufu found a small remote mountain cave where he survived by hunting and scavenging for food. On occasion, he ventured into his home village to steal potatoes and meat and have a brief visit with his parents.
The man’s family tried on a number of occasions to get him to surrender but he always refused to do so. It took 14 years for the man to realize that he had essentially locked himself away from the people he loved. Over that span of time, Moufu had missed his father’s funeral and his son’s wedding and he had never even seen his grandson.
In February 2023, he finally turned himself in. “I’m over 50 years old, my wife is not in good health, and I have such a lovely grandson,” Moufu said. “I want to live a normal life!”
Unfortunately, the man will need to wait a few more years before he lives a normal life. The robbery made Moufu a fugitive, which means he still has to endure punishment. He now risks a minimum of three years behind bars and a maximum of 10 years due to the fact weapons were used.
“I robbed 156 yuan and hid in a cave for 14 years! I regret it!” Moufu said.