A man in Suzhou, Anhui province, sped in a stolen taxi in an attempt to commit suicide but was stopped by police after they followed him for more than 160 km, Anhui Commercial Daily reported on Thursday.

The unidentified man stole a taxi on May 26 from a street of the city and drove on a State road to Suining county, Jiangsu province. Traffic police followed the stolen taxi and tried to stop it after they received a report from the taxi driver, but the man accelerated faster and faster on a road crowded with vehicles and people. In order to avoid an accident, the traffic police followed the stolen taxi to an empty lot and then stopped the vehicle. Police discovered that the driver had taken pesticide and took him to a local hospital.

After emergency treatment, the man was pronounced to be in a stable condition and told police he stole the taxi with the intent to commit suicide away from his home as he could not bear the pressure of being poor.