A Guangzhou resident surnamed Ding purchased the same camera twice in the same store within a month in Guangzhou of Guangdong Province.

Ding purchased a foreign brand-name camera valued at more than 4,000 yuan (US$500) at a second-hand store late last month. The camera was stolen two weeks ago.

Seeking to buy another of the same brand, he returned to the store over the weekend. But upon returning home after buying the camera, he found it was actually the same one he purchased late last month.

The store refused to admit selling a stolen camera or refund Deng's money, saying it had purchased the camera from a local resident who could offer an invoice for the camera.

Ding's request to launch an investigation was rejected by local police who said Ding had not reported the theft of his camera.