Chinese Man Steals 75kg Stone for Social Media Stunt

A man in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, who regularly livestreams online but has seen his viewership and popularity decline, came up with an unusual idea to attract viewers: he stole a 75-kilogram decorative stone from a residential entrance to use as a prop in livestream content. On July 30, police received a report that the stone had gone missing from the village entrance. Officers reviewed security camera footage from the area and discovered that around 8 p.m. on July 29, a man wearing a black tank top arrived on an electric motorcycle and stopped at the village entrance. He looked both ways, and when he saw no traffic or people passing by, he lifted the 75-kilogram stone with his bare hands, placed it on the footrest of his motorcycle, and rode away.

Police identified the suspect through their investigation and tracked him to his residence, where he was taken into custody. During questioning, the man admitted that he had been livestreaming for a long time but recently experienced declining viewership and audience engagement. He wanted to attract more followers and increase donations and gifts during his livestreams. He conceived a content idea: "If any fan sends gifts and reaches the top donor rank, I will lift this stone to thank them." This was intended to create novelty and grab viewers' attention. Because he needed a heavy stone as a prop, he decided to steal it from the village entrance.

After receiving legal education, the man confessed and expressed remorse for his actions. Considering this was his first offense, the stone was returned in good condition, and the residents had forgiven him, police handled the case with a monetary fine of 800 yuan, approximately 3,700 baht.