A fugitive who escaped from custodial protection in Keelung on Sunday and later fled to Taipei was captured by police on Wednesday night in New Taipei City’s Sinjhuang District (新莊), the New Taipei City Police Department said.
The fugitive, identified as Chien Yu-hung (簡郁紘), escaped from a secure facility at a Keelung hospital on May 19, where he was receiving court-ordered treatment for mental illness.
Photo: CNA
He was arrested at about 7:30pm on Wednesday at an apartment building on Shuangfeng Road, the Police Department’s Sinjhuang Precinct said.
The 39-year-old was found guilty in August last year of attempted murder after assaulting a pedestrian with a glass bottle seven months earlier.
Following Chien’s diagnosis of schizophrenia, Taipei District Court sentenced him to five years of medical guardianship to be followed by a three-year prison sentence.
After fleeing on Sunday, Chein traveled across the greater Taipei area, including Badouzi fishing port, Rueifang (瑞芳) and Taipei’s Songshan District (松山) using various types of public transport.
During the search, police acknowledged the challenging task of tracking Chien, who had no money or cellphone on him.
The fact that he had been traveling mostly on foot and utilizing the shelter of covered walkways to avoid surveillance cameras also complicated the search, police said.
Prior to Chien’s capture on Wednesday, Taipei, New Taipei City, Keelung and Yilan County said their school campuses would remain closed to the public during non-school hours as a precaution.
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