A fugitive wanted in connection with the kidnapping of Taichung City Council Vice Speaker Chang Hung-nien (張宏年) was arrested on Friday at a southern beach resort where he was celebrating Valentine's Day with his girlfriend, police said yesterday.
Twenty-five-year-old Chen Chun-bin (
Chen is believed to have collaborated with notorious criminal Hsueh Chiu (
Police said they also found an AK-47 rifle, two pistols and 33 bullets when they arrested Chen, but added that he did not resist arrest.
"We are quite sure that Chen worked with Hsueh in the kidnapping but we are also trying to figure out whether he is connected to other kidnapping cases as well," said Chien Tsung-lin (
According to Chien, Chen said he did not know where Hsueh was. Officers were still interrogating him as of press time yesterday.
A reward of NT$5 million is being offered for information leading to the arrest of Hsueh,
Hsueh, Chen and a third fugitive, Chen Yi-hua (
On Oct. 1, 2001, the three allegedly kidnapped the Tainan vice speaker and asked for a NT$300 million ransom.
The official was released three days later with no ransom being paid.
On March 10 last year, they also allegedly kidnapped the three sons and brother-in-law of Shen Mao-lin (
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