Guo Xiangsheng Promotes Anti-theft Knowledge on the Street
□ Reporter Yu Yang, Intern Wang Huixing, Text and Photos
Guo Xiangsheng, 42 years old, is from Taikang. He used to be a worker at the Taikang County Monosodium Glutamate Factory. After the factory went bankrupt, he worked as a security guard, anti-pickpocket officer, and auxiliary police officer at the county's Public Security Bureau. In 2000, he became obsessed with catching thieves. In May 2007, after becoming unemployed, he transitioned from part-time to "officially" catching thieves. Over the past decade, he has personally apprehended over 100 illegal individuals.
Guo Xiangsheng's family faced financial difficulties. To support his father in this "profession," his eldest daughter went out to work and earn money to support the family. He was praised by the local people as an "anti-pickpocket expert" and a "thief nemesis." Even taxi drivers in Zhengzhou invited him to catch thieves. Currently, Guo Xiangsheng has been recommended as a candidate for the "Second Moral Role Model of Zhoukou City." Yesterday, the reporter got closer to this civilian anti-pickpocket hero.
Waking up at 5 o'clock every morning to "guard" vegetable farmers is a habit that he never breaks.
"One, observe behavior. Pickpockets often move back and forth when choosing their targets. Two, watch their eyes..." Yesterday morning, in front of the Yixing Shopping Plaza in Taikang County, when the reporter met Guo Xiangsheng, he was teaching the passersby about anti-pickpocket knowledge (as shown in the picture).
Sang Zhongkui, a traffic police officer who frequently patrols the streets, is very familiar with Guo Xiangsheng and knows his "schedule" well. "Every morning at 5 o'clock, Old Guo gets up on time to go to the farmers' market to 'guard' the vegetable farmers; at noon, he 'patrols' in the bustling areas while explaining anti-pickpocket knowledge to the crowd; after dinner, Old Guo will stake out in hospitals and stations to catch thieves." Sang Zhongkui said that this is Old Guo's unchanging habit. Over the years, Guo Xiangsheng's voluntary efforts to catch thieves have received support from all sectors. According to Zhu Yede, an officer from the Taikang County Public Security Bureau's Pre-trial Division, since 2000, Guo Xiangsheng has caught more than 100 thieves and other lawbreakers, recovering losses worth hundreds of thousands of yuan for the public. Zhu Yede said: "Catching thieves is his happiest thing. He doesn't seek fame or profit; he just wants the common people to live in peace!"
Years of catching thieves have made him a "celebrity," and Zhengzhou taxi drivers invite him to catch thieves in the provincial capital.
When asked why he chose the "profession" of catching thieves, Guo Xiangsheng's eyes moistened. He said that seeing the anguish of people whose money had been stolen by pickpockets broke his heart.
A few years ago, one day, he went to visit a patient in the hospital and saw an old lady crying. It turned out that her husband had a serious illness and urgently needed money for treatment, but the hard-earned 2000 yuan she had borrowed was stolen in the hospital. "How dare they steal life-saving money! It's too evil!" Guo Xiangsheng secretly resolved to punish these pickpockets.
After years of persistently catching thieves, Guo Xiangsheng has become a "celebrity" locally. "Recently, there have been pickpockets at Erqi Square in Zhengzhou. Come to Zhengzhou and catch some thieves." On December 26 last year, Li, a taxi driver from Taikang working in Zhengzhou, called Guo Xiangsheng to report the situation. "Alright, I'll come tomorrow." The next day, Guo Xiangsheng took only 100 yuan and went alone to Erqi Square in Zhengzhou. In the afternoon, during his patrol, he noticed two men and two women acting suspiciously. Five minutes later, these four people targeted a woman carrying a bag. "Stop!" As the thief cut open the woman's bag and was about to take out the money, Guo Xiangsheng shouted loudly and rushed forward, grabbing the thief.
Daughter works outside to support her father in catching thieves
Because Guo Xiangsheng was obsessed with catching thieves, after being laid off, he had no source of income, and his family lived in poverty.
At Guo Xiangsheng's home, the reporter saw that except for the walls covered with banners of appreciation, there wasn't a single decent piece of furniture in the house. "I've tried to persuade him many times not to continue doing this job. It's too dangerous, but he wouldn't listen," his wife, Li Xuehua, said tearfully. Due to their poverty, the family of five currently rents a house, and even the clothes they wear are given by neighbors. "Our eldest daughter, Guo Qianqian, strongly supports her father's 'work.' To ensure he can catch thieves without worry, Qianqian voluntarily proposed going out to work and earn money to help support the family," Li Xuehua said. Poverty isn't the worst thing; what scares them most is the repeated threats to their home and phone calls demanding that Xiangsheng stop. Last year, Xiangsheng was attacked multiple times. "Once, Xiangsheng was ambushed and remained unconscious in the hospital for three hours before waking up!"
When hearing about the interview with Guo Xiangsheng, neighbors came over one after another. "Xiangsheng is a good person, warm-hearted. No matter who in our area needs help, he always comes to assist," neighbor Wang Jin said. "Since Xiangsheng moved here to rent a house, our Chaoyang Street has become much safer!"
During the interview, the reporter learned that due to his outstanding achievements in anti-pickpocketing, Guo Xiangsheng has been recommended as a candidate for the "Second Moral Role Model of Zhoukou City" and is currently in the public announcement stage.
"Do you plan to continue despite having no economic source?" the reporter asked Guo Xiangsheng. "Each time I catch a thief, society becomes a little safer. I don't regret enduring hardship or injury. For the peace of society, even if it means bloodshed or sacrifice, I will never stop. Moreover, I have the support of my daughter and the whole society!" Guo Xiangsheng said. Tip provided by Mr. Zhang.
Quotations:
● Observe behavior. Watch their eyes...
● He doesn't seek fame or profit, he just wants the common people to live in peace!
● For the peace of society, even if it means bloodshed or sacrifice, I will never stop.