A man suspected of causing a scare by marking shoes belonging to women in a community in Taichung’s Shalu District (沙鹿) likely has a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a psychiatrist said.
Police said that the man, surnamed Lin (林), faces charges of trespassing and damaging personal property.
Lin, 23, works at a fish market in Taichung, and is married with two children, police said on May 19.
In March, in a community near Providence University, where many female university students rent apartments, women began to notice black dots on their shoes, police said, adding that they were scared that their shoes were being marked by would-be assailants.
Investigators found that Lin had lived in the community and after moving out allegedly retained the magnetic access card.
Records showed that he went there on March 22, when he apparently used a black marker to draw dots on the sides of shoes, investigators said.
Lin allegedly only marked shoes belonging to women, they said, adding that the dots corresponded to the shoe size, with a size 23 shoe having two plus three dots on it, for example.
Commenting on the case, Wen Wei-chun (溫偉鈞), a psychiatrist in Taichung, said that Lin could have obsessive-compulsive disorder.
If a student always places a cup of water at a specific spot on their desk when studying, or a person needs to check that the gas valve and windows are closed several times before leaving the house, they are showing signs of the disorder, Wen said.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder might only affect the sufferer, but other people would see it as odd behavior, he said.
When such behavior seriously interferes in a person’s life or the lives of others — for example if they continuously wash their hands, despite having already harmed their hands by over-washing, or have to check the gas valve so often that they are always late or are afraid of leaving their home — they need professional treatment, Wen said.
If people know of someone with such problems they should try to get that person to visit a psychiatrist or neurology specialist, Wen added.
Aftershocks from a magnitude 6.2 earthquake that struck off Yilan County at 3:45pm yesterday could reach a magnitude of 5 to 5.5, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Seismological Center technical officer Chiu Chun-ta (邱俊達) told a news conference that the epicenter of the temblor was more than 100km from Taiwan. Although predicted to measure between magnitude 5 and 5.5, the aftershocks would reach an intensity of 1 on Taiwan’s 7-tier scale, which gauges the actual effect of an earthquake, he said. The earthquake lasted longer in Taipei because the city is in a basin, he said. The quake’s epicenter was about 128.9km east-southeast
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
The New Taipei City Government today warned about the often-overlooked dangers of playing in water, and recommended safe swimming destinations to cool off from the summer heat. The following locations in the city as safe and fun for those looking to enjoy the water: Chienshuiwan (淺水灣), Baishawan (白沙灣), Jhongjiao Bay (中角灣), Fulong Beach Resort (福隆海水浴場) and Sansia District’s (三峽) Dabao River (大豹溪), New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department Director-General Yang Tsung-min (楊宗珉) said. Outdoor bodies of water have variables outside of human control, such as changing currents, differing elevations and environmental hazards, all of which can lead to accidents, Yang said. Sudden
RSS