Two men were arrested yesterday in connection with the theft of precious temple ornaments in Yilan County.
The two suspects, both surnamed Chen (陳), were apprehended last night, the stolen items have been recovered and the suspects have been transferred to prosecutors, police said.
The two Chens, aged 35 and 27 from Yilan County’s Suao Township (蘇澳) and Taichung respectively, are accused of breaking into Nanfangao Jinan Temple (南方澳進安宮) yesterday morning to steal gold and red coral beads from statues of the goddess Matsu, police said.
Photo courtesy of Yilan police
The items were worth an estimated NT$30 million (US$970,167), they said.
The suspect from Yilan had reportedly visited the temple many times and said he was motivated by money to steal the items.
At about midnight yesterday, a man wearing a black hood reportedly climbed to the third-floor balcony at the back of the temple and broke in through the back window.
He then allegedly scaled the walls, descending from a height of 5m to reach the main altar on the second floor, where he stole the valuables.
However, as he left the temple, he triggered the security system and set off the alarm, police said.
He then fled from the second floor into a waiting getaway car, police said, citing surveillance footage.
Police yesterday assembled a task force and arrested the former Chen at 4:30pm in Taipei and his accomplice in Taichung at about 7pm.
Police said they are expected to complete the investigation today and make a public announcement this evening.
The temple said that all the stolen items have been recovered, thanks to the hard work of the police force, and thanked the public for their concern.
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