Taiwan Court Acquits Man Accused of Stealing Copper Wire Based on Text Apology

A former employee in Tainan, Taiwan, has been acquitted of stealing over two tons of copper wire worth NT$730,000 (approximately $23,000 USD). The employer had accused the ex-employee, identified by the surname Zeng, based solely on a text message that included the word "sorry."

The energy technology company's owner, surnamed Wu, reported the theft after discovering 2,098 kilograms of bare copper wire missing from his factory. He suspected Zeng, a former employee, and confronted him via text message. Wu interpreted Zeng's subsequent apology as an admission of guilt and filed a police report, leading to Zeng's indictment.

In court, Zeng vehemently denied the theft. He admitted to taking work tools, such as an electric screwdriver, when he left the company but insisted he never took the heavy copper wire. Zeng argued that his apology was specifically for taking the tools, not for stealing the wire, and accused his former employer of misrepresenting the situation.

The Tainan District Court examined the text message exchange and found that while an apology was present, the conversation did not mention the stolen goods, their value, or the time and place of the alleged theft. Consequently, the court could not definitively link the apology to the missing copper wire. Furthermore, Wu admitted that the factory's surveillance cameras from the time of the incident were not stored, and subsequent factory work had erased any potential evidence. Without objective evidence like surveillance footage or forensic traces, the court ruled that Zeng's ambiguous apology was insufficient to prove his guilt. Based on the principle of presumed innocence, the court found Zeng not guilty, though the prosecution may appeal the decision.