A Shanghai resident, Yan Xuepeim, has been sentenced to five years' imprisonment by Minhang People's Court recently for burglary and robbery, Shanghai Morning Post reported.

Yan had been operating a small grocery store since 1996, which had to close recently because of lacklustre business.

Blaming neighouring stores for the failure, Yan broke into the stores four times and tried to steal 19,000 yuan (US$2,289).