After arresting a heavily pregnant woman for shoplifting, police in Dongguan are now looking after her newborn until a suitable guardian comes forward, TVS reports.

The mother, Mrs. Chen, entered labour at Taiping Police Station after she was caught stealing clothes at Mingdian Shangcheng on March 22.

Police tried to contact members of her family but none would answer the phone. The police themselves had to take her to the maternity ward at Humen Hospital where she gave birth to a baby girl on Monday afternoon.

Chen’s punishment is unlikely to be too severe. An officer at the station surnamed Li said police would take into account the fact that Chen only turned to petty crime under a time of great strain as the baby’s father is nowhere to be found.