Man Steals Girlfriend's Gold for Relationship Expenses, Faces Two Years in Jail

A man in Shanghai has been sentenced to two years in jail and ordered to pay a fine for stealing his girlfriend's gold jewelry and luxury items to finance their relationship expenses.

According to the Shanghai Public Prosecution Service of Hongkou District, the man named Yu secretly stole his girlfriend's gold necklace, gold pendant, diamond ring, and a Chanel handbag before selling them to fund their dating activities. The incident sparked outrage on social media, with many users calling for stricter punishment for such crimes.

"A normal man with no money would be too embarrassed to pursue a woman, let alone maintain a relationship," one user wrote on Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter. "Men who ask girls to share the cost of dating are of dubious character."

Another user said that spending money on a woman should be based on fairness and mutual agreement, and that deceiving and stealing to pay for a relationship was "nothing but a mirage."

The man, named Yu, had been dating his girlfriend for about a year when he started stealing her valuables to support their dating activities. He admitted to stealing her gold necklace, gold pendant, diamond ring, and Chanel handbag between March and May last year. Yu then sold the items for cash to pay for the couple's dating activities.

The theft was only discovered when Yu's girlfriend, named Shao, tried to find her gold necklace for her mother to use. Upon realizing that the items were missing, she suspected Yu was the culprit as he had access to her home.

Shao reported the theft to the police, and Yu was later arrested when he returned to Shanghai. He told police that he stole the items because he could not afford to finance their dating activities.

Yu was sentenced to two years in jail and ordered to pay a fine of RMB10,000 (approximately $1,500) by the Hongkou District People's Court. The stolen items were ordered to be returned to Shao.

The case has raised questions about the responsibility of men to provide for their girlfriends in a relationship. Many social media users have criticized Yu for stealing from his girlfriend instead of finding a legitimate way to finance their activities.

"Love is a two-way street," one user wrote, "but this man crossed the line. It's not only immoral but also illegal."

The incident has also drawn attention to the rising cost of dating in China, where young people are increasingly turning to online dating platforms and apps to find partners. Some experts have pointed to the increasing pressure on young people to marry and start families, leading to more demanding expectations of potential partners.

The case has sparked a broader debate about gender roles and expectations in China. While many social media users condemned Yu for his actions, some also criticized Shao for not being more financially independent and relying on her boyfriend for financial support.

"Modern women need to be more financially independent," one user wrote. "They should not rely on their boyfriends or husbands to support them financially."

The case highlights the complex issues surrounding dating and relationships in China, where traditional expectations of gender roles often clash with modern values of equality and independence.