Damn, Silvio! Sorry to hear about that, man! I'll keep an eye out for your ride.

Thanks all.
This car didn't draw that much attention as it was dusty, dirty, scratched up and not special in any way. Just a workhorse at the wrong place at the wrong time. I mean, 10 second earlier and I would have been able to catch the guy red handed.
Maybe I shouldn't park my car in front of a police station anymore...
Still hoping they can track him on their security cameras but no chance last night. Not enough staff on duty during the weekend nights...

Tonight or tomorrow I'll be spending a couple hours behind the security cameras to try and find the guy who stole my wife's bicycle on New Years' Eve.

* warning to you all: Chinese New Year is coming up!!! and people need a lot of money and expensive gifts. One of my students warned me they'll be stealing anything and everything left and right. Too bad the warning came a week late :(

i hope you find your van soon and will definitely be on the look out.

a little off topic, i bought an e-scooter in oct and the other day someone broke into it (the seat lock) and stole the charger. (it was parked outside a restaurant i have eaten at many times with lots of people around, but i guess the thief was swift). i second the warning at the bottom that people really are stealing anything and everything.

They would of already removed the plates, and changed the vin. If the van had noticeable marks they would of parted it out, if there are less than a 100 models they would of sold the parts to mechanics. If it's not a high end auto they won't bother putting money into changing appearance. Best wishes though, and thanks for the tips about Chinese New Years.

"I mean, 10 second earlier and I would have been able to catch the guy red handed."

Yeah but I thought you said they were "armed and dangerous". Break open a bottle of your most expensive wine and thank God you weren't hurt.

If they are car jacking in front of a police station, they have to be dangerous people. Even if they were not armed they can easily look up the registration so any retaliation would not end well.

Car jacking is something else BTW. Don't want to start any unfounded rumors that might be read by others.
LOL

I'm sorry to hear the new .But I have to say that thieves are so widespread in Kunming.Be careful the next time. Anything like mobilephone or wallet can be stolen

@NiuLa: I don't think thieves are PARTICULARLY widespread in Kunming - there are thieves everywhere, but where are you comparing Kunming to? I had a cellphone stolen once - I was in a bar, pretty drunk - I have also had a lost cellphone returned to me through the cops.

Yunnan in general has a rather relaxed, tropical like lifestyle - hence the attraction. Things generally move at a glacial relaxed pace. That being said - one could also look at the lifestyle from another perspective as lazy and unmotivated. The province has survived on seriously egregious government subsidies for decades, with not much to show until Qiu He's steamrolling tankbusting management style - which had the potential downside of plummeting Kunming into some seriously severe long-term debt...BUT at least we have something to show for it...so all in all - Qiu He - great guy.

Compare Yunnan (population 46 million) to Sichuan (population 81 million). Sichuan people are renowned as hardworking diligent people - twice as many people applying for the same job, trying to sell the same thing - twice as much economic competition.

Most of the successful SME (small to medium enterprise) entrepreneurs I've met in Kunming - Sichuan people or exceptionally well educated local Yunnan people - however all consistently bemoan the malaise (aka laziness, lack of motivation, lack of initiative) of domestic staff. They tend to raise new management from OUTSIDE the province.

So - laziness, wealth - I tend to support NiuLa's comments - thieves abound...but they're petty thieves...like monkeys or newborns - they'll grab whatever's convenient.