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China’s emergency number ‘110’ is supposed to be used when one needs urgent help from the police, for example when someone is in serious danger or when witnessing a crime. However, some people call 110 with the strangest information and for the weirdest reasons. Here are nine real calls to 110 with very special ’emergencies’.
January 10 is the national day for China’s emergency number 110. For this special occasion, the Chongqing Morning Post has picked a couple of “interesting” cases from the Chongqing 110 control center, causing astonishment amongst China’s netizens (#奇葩报警#) about the reasons for people to call 110. See the following real stories.

Case 1: Phone needs a top-up
Man: Hi 110, my mobile phone is running out of credit. Could you please call this number [xxxx] for me?
110: What is this number?
Man: It’s my friend’s phone.
110: Is your friend requiring help from the police?
Man: No, but could you ask him to top up my mobile credit for me please?
110: All right….
What happened afterwards: the 110 receptionist literally did call the guy’s friend and told him to top up his friend’s phone.

Case 2: Professional salvage
110: Hello, Chongqing 110, how can I help you?
Old man: I dropped my certificate of property ownership into a sewer by accident, could you help me to get it out please?
110: Please let us know your exact location. And by the way, is the sewer deep?
Man: No, but it is really dirty. Hurry up a bit! My certificate is sinking!
110: Please wait a moment and keep your phone connected, we will send someone.

Case 3: Get it out of my way!
Woman: Hi 110? There is a car in my way!
110: Please tell us the registration plate of the car and your location.
Woman: Registration plate? Yu [for Chongqing] … and something in English that I don’t know. It looks like vertical lines connected with a horizontal line. Looks like a staircase.
110: I guess you mean “H”
Woman: Yes! That’s right!
[Chongqing police notice: Please make sure you provide precise information when calling 110.]

Case 4: Bad joke
Girl: 110? I was raped!
110: Please wait a moment, keep your phone connected and we will send someone immediately.
What happened afterwards: when the police arrived on site, the girl who made the call was sitting in an Internet bar. She was playing cards with her friends online. By rule, the person who loses the game has to do something decided by the winner. She lost. Hence she made the call.

Case 5: I’m Here
Man: There is a car accident here, please come as soon as possible! [end of call]
110: Hello? Where about are you?
[Calling back] 110: Did you report a car accident just now? Where are you now please?
Man: How come you can’t even find this place here? It is here, just across the bridge! [hangs up again]
110: ……
[Chongqing police notice: please, say the district name first and then the place of event.]

Case 6: A ‘Massacre’
110: Hello ChongQing 110, how can I help?
Old Woman: Oh my god, things went terrible wrong! Many people were beaten to dead! So many!
110: Could you tell me more about the details please? And what is your location?
Old Woman: It is xxxxx [the location]
What happened afterwards: when the police arrived, it turned out to be nothing more than an ordinary argument and fight, where both sides only suffered minor injury.

Case 7: Unknown creature
110: Hello, Chongqing 110, how can I help?
Man: My pig just gave birth, and it delivered an “elephant”!
110: Could you give me more details please? Where about are you?
Man: I live in xxxx, I had a pig, which delivered an “elephant” just now.
110: All right, please keep your phone on, we will dispatch someone.
What happened afterwards: when the police arrived at the scene of the ‘accident’, the creature turned out to be just a little piggy with a long nose comparing to its siblings.

Case 8: Seasonal greeting
110: Hello, Chongqing 110, how can I help?
Old man: How come your guys at 110 are still working? It’s not an easy job, is it? I send you my holiday greetings! I wish you good health!
110: Thank you. How can I help please?
Old man: No, I am only calling to send my greetings.
110: Thank you.
[Chongqing police notice: it’s touching to send your thankful greetings, but in order to keep the telephone line clear for those who needs it, please only call 110 when necessary.]

Case 9: Free lift please!
110: Hello, Chongqing 110, how can I help?
Man: Hi, is that 110? Could you help me please? I need a taxi to xxx, but it is really too far and the fare is so expensive. Could you guys please give me a ride, so I can save some costs?
110: Did you lose any valuables?
Man: No, I didn’t. The taxi fare is just too expensive.
Conclusion: these are not the ways to call 110.
– by Fan Bai
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