Nanyang city in Henan Province had hoped to achieve fame via a rock music festival, but a series of thefts have stolen the spotlight. After false information spread online, some nearby villagers took advantage and stole from music fans. Nanyang police said on Thursday that some theft cases have been solved, with the thieves being detained; and measures have been taken against the rumor spreader.
The Midi Music Festival, one of the biggest outdoor music festivals in China, said in a statement posted on Sina Weibo on Thursday that the rumor spreader, surnamed Chen (who has been apprehended), falsely claimed that the event had ended and the site needed to be cleared, which allowed the nearby villagers to exploit the situation and commit multiple thefts in the camping area.
The local police have received a total of 73 reports, with 65 cases of theft confirmed as of now. Some thieves have been arrested and detained, and a portion of the stolen property has been recovered. The Nanyang police have organized a special group to investigate the matter, and have joined hands with festival organizers to compensate the losses suffered by the music fans, according to the statement.
The exact number of items lost is yet to be confirmed as of press time.
Midi also said it is asking music fans to forward pictures and videos of any thefts to help police locate the culprits.
The four-day festival was held in Huangshan village in Nanyang and concluded on October 2, with nearly 40,000 people participating per day, organizers revealed during a previous interview.
Many music fans wrote on social media that theft was "rampant." They claimed that their wristbands, diaries, cellphones, cash and other items left in the camp were all stolen. Some even found their underwear missing after returning to the camp from the toilet. A netizen even claimed their camping vehicle had been stolen.
