A detention center in Changsha, Hunan province, held a theft suspect who is a man-turned-woman, making the case the country's first in which the suspect is a transgender, voc.com said on Wednesday.

The suspect is a 30-year-old man who changed his gender through surgery four years ago.

The tall and slim "man" now has all female body parts, and used to work as a pole dancer at entertainment venues in Changsha, before he was detained in April.

A police officer at Changsha No 1 Detention Center told voc.com that the suspect was taken into custody under a charge of theft.

The side effects of the sex change operation led to the need for more medical treatments, and the crushing medical bills made him resort to stealing.

Based on the suspect's condition, officials at the detention house decided to arrange a special single cell for him, who is female physiologically, but male in terms of legal identity.

Two female policewomen were assigned to guard him, and a female psychologist was arranged by the detention center to give him counseling. During his detention, he also received free medicine.

The suspect was released on bail Tuesday pending trial. When he was being released, he said he was touched by the care he received at the detention center.