Perfume thief who targeted Taipei department stores arrested

Taipei, May 11 (CNA) A 38-year-old unemployed man with a love of fancy cologne was arrested following a string of thefts at Taipei department stores, police said Sunday.

In a press release, the Taipei City Police Department said its Xinsheng South Road Police Station received several reports earlier this year about perfume being stolen from department store counters.

After reviewing surveillance footage, police identified a common suspect in the thefts, who frequently used items such as a hat, umbrella or bag to apparently disguise himself before or after committing the crimes, the statement said.

After stealing the items, the suspect traveled to crowded shopping centers or night markets, or took public transportation in various directions to cover his tracks, police said.

Based on a preliminary investigation, police said the man initially stole three bottles of cologne, valued at NT$7,200 (US$238) each, from a Shin Kong Mitsukoshi department store in mid-February.

Around a week later, he stole a NT$16,000 bottle of cologne from a SOGO department store, and then continued with thefts at several other department stores in Taipei's Xinyi District, police said.

Investigators eventually identified the suspect as a 38-year-old resident of New Taipei's Banqiao District, surnamed Liu (劉).

After collecting sufficient evidence, police requested and received warrants to arrest Liu and search his home, where they found additional evidence of his thefts, according to the press release.

During questioning, Liu told police that he loved wearing cologne, and began stealing it after he became unemployed.

Police found no evidence that Liu had tried to sell any of the stolen cologne. As such, he was turned over to Taipei prosecutors to be investigated for larceny under Taiwan's Criminal Code, the department said.