According to a story about Liao recorded in the Taipei City Gazetteer, once after robbing the home of Ku Hsien-jung, he was caught by the police. Jumping into the Tanshui River to escape, he made his way to Wuku.
根據＜台北市志＞一篇關於廖添丁的傳說，他在一次搶了辜顯榮家後，被警察追捕，跳進淡水河逃到了五股。