Taiwan police finally grab kidnap kingpin after shootout
Six attempts to catch him had ended in failure
One of Taiwan's most-wanted men, who had eluded police during six previous gun battles, was finally arrested yesterday after 100 shots were exchanged in an early-morning raid. Chang Hsi-ming was caught wearing just his underwear, having tried in vain to flee.
Police said Chang, 37, was discovered at a hideout in the central county of Taichung. He was arrested for allegedly kidnapping at least nine wealthy victims in the past decade.
Another man, Lin Tai-heng, 34, believed to be an accomplice of the suspect, was also arrested.
Chang was shot in the chest, shoulder and arm, but was in a stable condition in hospital.
His accomplice was shot in the face and critically injured, police officers said.
More than 120 officers in helicopters and armoured cars and equipped with thermal tracking detectors were sent to catch Chang.
Police said they were tipped off by an informant, who told them the suspects were in the hideout in Shalu, central Taiwan.
Officers managed to trace their whereabouts through the prime suspect's internet service, which he was using to play online games.
With the help of a light armoured vehicle, officers broke into the house as the suspects were sleeping. The men fled in their underwear, police said.
They exchanged fire with police during their escape and were subsequently shot. 'After he was shot, he [Chang] immediately identified himself and shouted for help, saying he was injured and needed hospital treatment,' a police spokesman said.
A bullet grazed the neck of a police squad leader, Tang Chia-jen.
The arrests were hailed by Premier Frank Hsieh Chang-ting and other ministers after they learned of the development during a cabinet meeting.
Chang had allegedly demanded ransom payments of up to NT$100 million ($24.5 million) for the release of his victims.
