Cop killing suspect stole 1st scooter in south Taiwan after tourist left keys in ignition

殺警嫌犯在南台灣第一輛機車是在遊客留下鑰匙後發動偷走

Tourist visiting Tainan accidentally left keys in rented scooter


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The series of events that led to the brutal murder of two Tainan police officers in the line of duty started with a tourist leaving the keys in a rented scooter.

Over the weekend, a 37-year-old man surnamed Wu (吳) who lives in northern Taiwan had gone to Tainan City for a vacation. Wu had recently rented a red scooter from a rental agency with the license plate number 369-PGB and rode it to Chikan Street in Tainan's West Central District, where he parked it.

However, he forgot to remove the keys from the vehicle and when he returned, he found that it had been stolen, reported ETtoday. At 9:30 a.m. on Monday (Aug. 22), Wu and his family members reported the theft to the Tainan City Police Bureau. Police officers Tu Ming-cheng (凃明誠) and Tsao Jui-chieh (曹瑞傑) were dispatched to search for the scooter.

Using the police vehicle recovery system, Tu found that the stolen scooter appeared to be in Tainan's Annan District. Tu and Tsao then took a patrol car to Annan District to retrieve the stolen vehicle, with Tsao behind the wheel.

While searching in a cemetery, Tu stepped out of the vehicle to search on foot. Tu suddenly encountered the 46-year-old man suspected of stealing the scooter, identified as Lin Hsin-wu (林信吾), who resisted arrest and pulled a knife on the officer.

Tu responded by spraying Lin with pepper spray to try to subdue him. However, the pepper spray caused Lin to go into a fit of rage, rush toward Tu, and slash his throat with the knife.

A struggle ensued with Lin stabbing Tu 17 times and Tsao 38 times, before fleeing the scene on the scooter, having taken the gun of the sole armed officer and two magazines with 18 rounds of ammunition.

After allegedly murdering the police officers, Lin washed off the blood, and discarded the scooter. He then hailed a taxi, rode a bus, took another taxi, rode a train to Xinying District, stole another scooter, robbed a convenience store, and took a taxi south to Kaohsiung City.

After getting out of the taxi, Lin went on foot to try to throw police off his trail as he made his way to a bus station where he boarded a Ho-Hsin bus for Hsinchu City at 1 a.m. on Tuesday (Aug. 23). Police managed to locate him around the Ho-Hsin Bus Station on Jincheng 1st Road in Hsinchu City at 4:36 a.m. on Tuesday morning, when they arrested him.

The Tainan City Police Bureau pointed out that more than 90% of scooters are stolen after their riders forgot to take out the keys. It urged the public to remember to take out the keys after parking their vehicles to avoid theft.

The Third Precinct of the Tainan City Police Bureau stated that the stolen scooter was abandoned by Lin at Tucheng Junior High School in Annan District. Although the scooter was recovered, police said that they are keeping it for now as it is important evidence for the murder case and will notify the rental company when it can be returned.