Chinese man admits stealing pork left in bicycle basket as prices rise during swine flu epidemic

People are increasingly resorting to stealing pork in China as prices for the meat soar, with swine flu decimating the country’s hog herd.

One man in southern China lifted a shopping bag filled with pork sausages after spotting a woman leaving the meat unattended in her bike basket. After swiping the pork, he concealed the meat in his bag before hopping on his bike to flee the scene.

He was, however, caught red-handed in a video now circulating online, later admitting to the theft of 2kg of meat. Police said the suspect, Mr Guo, couldn’t believe someone would so carelessly abandon the meat, local media reported.

China’s pork prices have skyrocketed over the last year, up 70 per cent in September compared to last year, as a swine flu outbreak has knocked out a third of the country’s pigs.

The outbreak began last year, quickly spreading throughout China and into other parts of Asia, affecting pig numbers and food supply.

Some Chinese have since switched to cheaper alternatives like beef, chicken, duck, and even meatless options.

But it’s a tough adjustment in a country where pork is a staple – China consumes and produces about half of the world’s pork.

The menu is extensive: barbecue pork, braised pork belly, twice-cooked pork, pork fried race, green beans fried with ground pork, spicy tofu with pork, pork blood rice cake, pig ears, pig trotters.

For China, the low supply of pork is becoming a political challenge.

Communist Party leaders have declared stabilising pork supply and prices and “important political task,” dipping into the country’s strategic frozen pork reserves to help mitigate the situation.

“We should ensure pork supply by all means,” said vice premier Hu Chunhua in August, noting that the pork shortage was expected to spill into the first half of next year.

High pork prices have already stirred discontent among Chinese, some of whom are complaining about the government’s failure to hold down costs.

The government has started leaning on pig farmers to produce more pigs for slaughter, and quickly.

But until more hogs head to the chopping block, pork theft may just be the latest petty crime to darken society.

Another video online shows a man sauntering by a butcher shop, and casually slipping two cuts of raw pork into his pocket before wandering away.

“This theft is bitterly disappointing,” one user commented about the video. “People can no longer afford eating pork.”