The heavily sentenced prisoner, Cheng Haifeng, escaped through this window in the hospital toilet. This photo was taken by our reporter, Zhang Yongsheng. The assistance investigation notice posted on the streets of Wuwei reads as follows: On May 9th, I learned from the Intermediate People's Court of Wuwei City that Cheng Haifeng, who had committed a major armed robbery of Cordyceps sinensis in Lanzhou and during his sentence at Wuwei Prison escaped through a hospital toilet window while being treated, has been sentenced to an additional four years in prison by the Wuwei Intermediate Court. Combined with his yet-to-be-served sentence, it has been decided that he will serve a total of 20 years in prison.
Cheng Haifeng, a heavy convict, escaped while receiving medical treatment. According to reports, Cheng Haifeng is 29 years old, originally from Mingyi Village, Duchang County, Jiangxi Province, and was temporarily residing in Yanghu Village, Fuliang County, Jingdezhen City, Jiangxi Province before his arrest. In 2004, Cheng Haifeng conspired with others to commit the shocking "June 14" armed robbery of Cordyceps sinensis in Lanzhou. In 2007, Cheng Haifeng was sentenced to life imprisonment for robbery and theft by the Higher People's Court of Gansu Province and was sent to Wuwei Prison to serve his sentence.
During his time at Wuwei Prison, due to suffering from kidney stones, to fully protect the human rights of prisoners, the prison authorities took Cheng Haifeng to the hospital multiple times for examination and treatment.
On the morning of June 1, 2010, at around 10 o'clock, Cheng Haifeng was under the supervision of Wuwei Prison guards Wu Zhengwei, Liu Shirong, and Yao Shengeng at the Lithotripsy Center of Wuwei People's Hospital for treatment. Due to examination requirements, Cheng Haifeng's handcuffs were removed. While using the restroom after the examination, Cheng Haifeng avoided the guards' sight and used a tool he had prepared to unlock his leg irons. He then jumped out of the toilet window onto the roof of a nearby bungalow and escaped.
Punished with three crimes, sentenced to 20 years. According to reports, after Cheng Haifeng's escape, the Wuwei political and legal system immediately convened an emergency meeting to arrange for his capture. The police posted wanted notices in various public places, stations, and intersections in Wuwei City and set up checkpoints along the roads. In the wanted notice, the police offered a reward of 20,000 yuan for providing effective clues and 50,000 yuan for capturing him.
According to reports, after jumping out of the window onto the street, Cheng Haifeng took a taxi to Gulang and then boarded a bus, arriving in Lanzhou at around 5 p.m. that day. Then, he traveled through Dingxi, Baoji, and Xi'an, reaching Jiangxi at 2 p.m. on June 4 and subsequently arrived in his hometown of Duchang County, Jiangxi. After staying in Duchang for several days, he left his hometown on June 15 and fled to Shanghai, Hubei, Guangdong, and other places to find people and raise money, planning to escape abroad. On July 25 of the same year, at 3 p.m., he was captured by local public security authorities at a reception house in Liangqiao Town, Shaodong County.
The Intermediate People's Court of Wuwei City sentenced Cheng Haifeng to four years in prison for escaping; combined with the previous sentences for robbery and theft, totaling 18 years, 7 months, and 26 days, which were not yet served, he received a combined sentence of 22 years, 7 months, and 26 days in prison, with confiscation of all personal property. It was decided that he would serve 20 years in prison and have all his personal property confiscated.