Couple seeks 'excitement' by stealing rearview mirrors, gets sentenced

A couple in Tainan, Taiwan, has been sentenced for stealing two motorcycle rearview mirrors, an act they reportedly committed on a rainy evening seeking "excitement." The man was sentenced to four months in prison, and the woman to three months for aggravated theft. If they choose to pay a fine instead of serving jail time, the combined penalty amounts to NT$210,000 (approximately $6,400 USD).

The incident occurred when the couple, identified as Li and Du, abandoned plans to visit a night market due to rain. While wandering near the Tainan High Speed Rail station, Du suggested they steal rearview mirrors for stimulation. Li then used a wrench from his vehicle to assist Du in removing the mirrors from a parked motorcycle in Guiren District. They subsequently discarded the mirrors in a patch of grass.

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The wrench was only a tool, not a dangerous weapon.

During the trial, the couple offered conflicting defenses. Du claimed she was upset and wanted to vent, arguing she had no illegal intent as nothing was taken, and that the wrench was merely a tool, not a weapon. Li attempted to shift blame, suggesting his wife acted alone while he was using the restroom.

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The court examined surveillance footage confirming the two jointly committed the crime, and the metal wrench was hard and objectively posed a threat to personal safety, thus being a legal dangerous weapon.

However, the court reviewed surveillance footage confirming their joint involvement. The judges determined that the metal wrench, being hard and potentially threatening to personal safety, qualified as a "dangerous weapon" under the law. Their act of taking the items from the scene constituted theft while armed with such a weapon.

The Taiwan High Court Tainan Branch upheld the initial verdict, criticizing the couple's disregard for others' property rights. While acknowledging that the couple reached a settlement with the victim and compensated them for more than the value of the mirrors, the court stated this did not absolve them of criminal responsibility for theft with a dangerous weapon. They must still face the legal consequences for their actions.

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Although the defendants eventually reached a settlement with the victim and compensated them beyond the value of the rearview mirrors, this does not exempt them from the crime of theft with a dangerous weapon.