Alleged camera pervert caught on MRT

The Taipei City Police Department's Rapid Transit Division yesterday urged female users of the MRT to be aware of an increasing number of perverts who use hidden cameras to take upskirt photographs on the trains.

The division made the statement yesterday morning after its officers arrested a suspect who was trying to shoot upskirt pictures on the MRT platform at the Taipei Railway Station.

"This is the third time within a month that we have busted a pervert of this type on the MRT," Chang Fu-wan (張福灣), a division spokesman, said.

"This serves as a warning that there are more and more perverts who would sexually harass female train users, so I urge all ladies to be careful, especially when they are wearing mini skirts."

The police said that around 7am yesterday, Liu Yu-kuo (劉佑國), a 28-year-old computer software technician, hid his digital camera in a bag before approaching his 23-year-old victim, who was only identified by her last name, Sun. Liu tried to shoot pictures under her skirt on an escalator leading to the platform where she would catch her train.

However, Sun became suspicious when Liu's bag continually bumped against her legs and when she turned around she saw what he was trying to do.

The police said that Sun, who is approximately 1,7m tall, was very upset and punched Liu on his nose, breaking it in the process. Sun then "arrested" Liu and took him to the police right away.

Liu told the police that he had merely been curious about shooting photographs up skirts and this incident was the first time he tried to do it on the MRT.

He said it also was not his intention to distribute his photographs on the Internet or to duplicate and sell them.

Liu said his behavior was the result of watching too many adult videos and he sincerely regretted what he did.

Meanwhile, he also said that he never thought he would be caught and beaten up by a woman, especially as he had not yet succeeded in taking any pictures.