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Stella Lee

Investigators questioning serial killer Chen Chin-hsing believe there may have been a mastermind behind his vicious crime spree.

 Chen, wanted for kidnapping and killing the daughter of a popular Taiwanese actress, surrendered to police on Wednesday after holding the family of a South African diplomat hostage.

 His wife is among others implicated in the girl's death, but police said Chen claimed someone else gave the orders.

 Chen spent his first day in captivity showing police two pistols and more than 300 rounds of ammunition he and his accomplices - Lin Chun-sheng and Kao Tien-min - had hidden on a hillside in Miaoli County.

 The three had at one point possessed at least 10 pistols and an apparently unlimited supply of bullets. Investigators want to know the source of the firearms and how the trio evaded police for months.

 Kao shot himself dead in a gunbattle with police on Monday and Lin killed himself in a similar fashion in August.

  Chen had hinted during Wednesday's siege that the abduction plot was hatched after a man in the entertainment business told the three that television celebrity Pai Ping-ping had NT$60 million (HK$14.5 million) deposited with the Linkuo Agricultural Association.

 The bank yesterday said information on depositors was confidential and denied details could have been leaked.

 The trio demanded a US$5 million (HK$38.6 million) ransom for Hsiao-yen's return. Chen has already admitted killing the 17-year-old.

 When asked if the mastermind knew Pai, Shih Liang-po, senior prosecutor of Panchiao District, said: 'Any clues and information related to the case would be looked into.' He added Chen would not be charged until the inquiries were over.

 Meanwhile, Yang Tzu-ging, head of Taipei's police criminal investigation bureau, offered to resign yesterday but his application was refused.

 'A total of five lives have been lost in this case. I feel responsible,' he said.



Taiwan killer may have been following orders