Thanks to 34 short cellphone messages a policeman sent to a suspected thief, a man turned himself in after spending seven days on the run, Beijing Star Daily reports.

Hu Jian'guo, a policeman at the Dazhongsi Agriculture Market Police Station, received a call from a market dealer on October 5 saying that goods worth 40,000 yuan (US$4,830) had been stolen from his stall.

An investigation determined that Guo, one of Hu's friends, was the prime suspect.

After Guo fled Beijing to return to his hometown, Hu repeatedly sent short messages to Guo's mobile phone, carefully explaining government policies for dealing with theft cases to try to persuade Guo to come back.

Hu's patient effort paid off. Guo, moved by the messages and his friend's concern, turned himself in to police.

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