Man sentenced for stealing NT$14,000 from neighbor to buy game points

A man from Keelung, Taiwan, has been sentenced for stealing a total of NT$14,000 from his neighbor on two separate occasions. The Keelung District Court handed down a sentence of 25 days detention and two months imprisonment, both of which can be commuted to fines.

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The defendant, Chen, was sentenced to 25 days detention and 2 months imprisonment, which can be commuted to a fine.

The thefts occurred in February when the man, identified by the surname Chen, visited his neighbor, surnamed Huang. On the first occasion, Chen asked to charge his phone and took NT$4,000 from Huang's wallet while Huang was distracted. The following day, Chen used the same tactic to steal NT$10,000 from Huang's wallet.

Huang became suspicious after noticing money missing from his wallet on consecutive days, especially after Chen had visited. He reported the incidents to the police, leading to Chen's arrest. During interrogation, Chen confessed to both thefts.

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Chen confessed to the crimes after the police found him.

Chen admitted that he used the stolen money to purchase game points. The court found Chen, described as being of working age, to be in the wrong for not earning money through legitimate means and for betraying his neighbor's trust. Considering the amount stolen and his unemployment status, the judge imposed the sentence, allowing for fines to be paid instead of serving jail time.

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The judge considered Chen's age, the amount stolen, and his unemployment status when imposing the sentence.