In the past few weeks, a 70-year-old man has been calling police in Anhui Province, China with the claim that he tripped and couldn’t get up.
Police later confirmed he made such calls because he was just lonely.
So instead of pressing charges for abusing emergency services, officers promise to come around more often for a chat.
Reports say police officers in Ma’anshan were first sent to the home of the septuagenarian, surnamed Li, in March when he called 110 after a serious tumble.
But Li apparently enjoyed the visit so much that he’s been calling between 2 and 3 am, police said.
On subsequent visits when officers found Li did not need medical attention, he offered tea and suggested they stay for a while.
Police said Li suffers from a chronic condition that keeps him largely immobile and his children rarely visit him.
While Li’s false alarms are technically illegal, Ma’anshan police do not plan to prosecute.
Instead, officers promise to drop in on Li regularly and have contacted his children to remind them to visit more often.
