Video has emerged of elderly citizens in China stealing toilet paper from a public washroom.

The bizarre footage, captured in Changning county in Sichuan Province on August 21, shows an old man pulling out sheet after sheet of toilet paper from a public washroom.

Further footage shows a woman doing exactly the same.

The incidents occurred over three days in late August.

In order to prevent toilet paper thieves, as well as reduce waste, Chinese authorities in certain parts of the country have resorted to facial recognition technology. At the Beijing tourist attraction Temple of Heaven, use of toilet paper was reportedly reduced by 8 percent to 14 percent after the technology was introduced in March 2017.

四川长宁县一公共厕所提供免费纸巾，但是刚装满的厕纸，很快就“失踪”。

近日环卫人员发现公厕的纸消耗快，许多入厕人员没纸用就投诉。管理人员就调监控，在8月十多号到二十多号，一老人天天早上5点过到公厕把纸拿走，因工作人员6点上班，就没发现，此前拿了多少也无法统计。