Man Caught Pocketing Lost Cash Faces Fine

A man in Yuanlin City has been ordered to pay a NT$6,000 fine and forfeit NT$2,400 after being convicted of embezzlement. The incident occurred when another customer, identified as Mr. Cai, accidentally dropped a plastic bag containing the cash while checking out at a convenience store.

Mr. Cai reported the loss to the police. Surveillance footage reviewed by the court showed that the accused, Mr. Zhan, had been standing nearby and observed Mr. Cai fumbling for cash. When the bag fell, Zhan immediately picked it up and put the money in his pocket before quickly leaving the store on a bicycle.

During the investigation, Zhan claimed he had picked up the bag but found no money inside and waited for about five to six minutes before leaving due to an urgent matter. However, the court found this testimony unbelievable after examining the surveillance video, which clearly showed Zhan pocketing the cash immediately after it was dropped. The court noted Zhan's lack of respect for others' property rights and his denial of the offense, despite reaching a settlement with the victim without compensating the full loss.