A 28-year-old man has been detained for allegedly stealing about 50,000 yuan (US$7,500) from a shopping mall on Guoji Road in Yangpu District.

Police said surveillance cameras showed the suspect, surnamed Lin, was covered under a white blanket, his upper body naked, as he stole from shops in the mall during the early hours of July 26.

Later that day it was discovered that a large amount of cash and gold accessories had been stolen from more than 10 shops whose roll-up doors had been forced open, police said.

They managed to track the suspect because cameras showed that the shorts he wore had a distinctive white pattern. He was arrested in Wujiaochang.

Lin allegedly owned up to the thefts and said he covered himself with the blanket to avoid being identified on the surveillance cameras.

Police described him as a jobless man from out of town.