Lawmaker tells of roadside robbery

Police yesterday confirmed that KMT Legislator Apollo Chen (陳學聖) was robbed on Saturday night, making him the second politician this week to have been targeted by criminals.

Chen told a press conference yesterday that while he and his wife were driving through Taipei County's Sanhsia area early Saturday evening two cars, a Honda Civic and a Mitsubishi Virage, forced him off the road.

A man pretending to ask for directions approached Chen's car and was quickly followed by two other men. All three men drew pistols and forced Chen to hand over all his valuables.

"I immediately told them that I was a lawmaker and that I would give them whatever they wanted as long as they didn't hurt my wife or myself," Chen said. "They took approximately NT$10,000 and my car keys, as well as our only mobile phone, and fled."

Chen said that he hitched a ride from a passing farmer and called the police at a nearby temple.

"The Civic's rear license plates were missing, but I didn't notice whether the Virage had license plates," Chen said.

Police said they have reviewed Chen's stolen mobile-phone records and discovered that the suspects did not make any calls after the incident. Officers suspect that the robbers took Chen's phone and keys to give them time to escape. Officers are also looking for the owners of the Civic and the Virage.

Taipei County Police Chief Huang Mao-swei (黃茂穗) said that his officers had tightened security and set up checkpoints in a bid to catch the robbers.

Chen was robbed three days after two men tried to kidnap Taipei County Council Speaker Hsu Tsai-en (許再恩) outside his Hsintien home. Hsu, with the help of his driver, disarmed his attackers and helped police arrest them.