Extortionists have sent to roughly 100 Taipei car dealers letters that demand NT$200,000, or else the businesses can expect to "face the consequences."
The letters, however, without explanation, said the money would be returned to the car dealers in person at a later date.
According to People First Party city councilors Jeffery Sheu (許淵國) and Pang Chien-kuo (龐建國), more than 100 of Taipei's 260 car dealers received the extortion letter on Friday.
Sheu and Pang said the head of a car dealers' association had informed them of the letter, and that the dealer was afraid of going to the police.
City police said they had received just three reports of the extortion attempt.
"Although this is not the first time that car dealers have been extorted, it's the first time it has affected so many people," Sheu said.
"In addition to the original letter, the suspects followed up with phone calls and more letters," he said.
The letter, which was handwritten and photocopied, carried no postmark or the name or address of the sender. The letter demands that NT$200,000 be transferred to an account at the Chiayi branch of E. Sun Bank (玉山銀行) within three days.
"We have committed many heinous crimes including arson, robbery and murder. If we do not receive the money within three days, get ready for the worst. We have already broken the law many times and we don't mind doing it again," the letter said.
"We'll attack with guns or throw Molotov cocktails as a warning. We're not kidding or playing a practical joke. Remember, do not report this to the police."
But in an unusual twist on extortion attempts, the suspects also promised that the NT$200,000 would be returned. "The full amount will be returned to the sender in person," the letter said.
Sheu also made public yesterday two recorded messages provided by a car dealer, who was present at the press conference but declined to be identified.
The first message was left on the voice mail of the car dealer's mobile phone. The caller asked him to pay NT$200,000 "as soon as possible" otherwise he would "seek the assistance of organized crime syndicates."
In the second message, which was secretly taped by the dealer at his office, the caller again demanded that the money be wired "as soon as possible."
Feng Tung-sen (馮棟森), deputy director of Taipei City Police Headquarters, said that investigators had formed a task force to look into the matter.
"We encourage those who receive the same intimidating letter to report it to the police," Feng said.
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