■ Self-narration
Parents divorced, giving him nearly 10,000 yuan as pocket money every month. To retaliate against "dad not caring", two years ago he was sentenced for stealing seven motor vehicles. After being released from prison, he wanted to cause some trouble to draw his family's attention.
■ Police
His family is well-off, but he always thought his father didn't care about him. In fact, his father deeply loves this only son. The previous times he got into trouble, his father spent a lot of money.
He is essentially not bad. He said his father didn't care about him. Before, when he stole cars, he would dismantle the sound system, CD players, and other parts just to play with them. The stolen cars were never sold; he just drove them around everywhere.
He is a rich kid who receives nearly 10,000 yuan as monthly pocket money. Two years ago, at the age of 16, he was caught stealing seven cars consecutively due to peer pressure. Two years later, after serving his sentence, he returned to his old ways. Despite having plenty of money, he never sold the stolen cars; once tired of driving them, he would simply abandon them by the roadside and look for new ones to steal. Yesterday, the suspect Lin Shi (a pseudonym), detained by the Shengdeng Temple police station of Chenghua Public Security Bureau, revealed the reason for stealing cars again: "My wealthy dad doesn't care about me; I want to get back at him."
Yesterday, the Chenghua Public Security Bureau informed the media about this case and issued a reminder: Lin Shi's car theft skills are not sophisticated. He targets careless cars that are unlocked or old cars with damaged windows, hoping car owners will enhance their awareness of prevention.
A Case Occurrence
The hotel staged an impressive "flying eaves" scene, capturing a thief who turned out to be an old acquaintance.
"Bang!" At dawn on November 15, at a hotel near the intersection of Changbei Road and Second Ring Road, a loud noise suddenly came from the sixth-floor balcony. Subsequently, a thin shadow darted into the hotel room, saying, "Don't worry, I'm just passing through." The shadow descending from the upper floor didn't forget to reassure the frightened guests in the room.
At this moment, the policemen from Shengdeng Temple Police Station, who had discovered that the "shadow" might have jumped from the seventh-floor room to the sixth floor, quickly arrived at the sixth floor to set up an ambush. When the door was slightly opened by the "shadow" trying to escape, several policemen rushed forward and pinned him to the ground.
The thin shadow was named Lin Shi, only 18 years old, who was caught by the police on suspicion of stealing cars. He then readily confessed to the process of multiple car thefts. Li Su, who had just transferred from Fuching Road Police Station to Shengdeng Temple Police Station as an instructor, noticed something familiar during his colleagues' interrogation of the suspect, "Isn't this the 'car thief' we captured two years ago at Fuching Road Police Station?"
Lin Shi, who was just released from prison in May, also recognized Li Su, who had treated him to KFC two years ago, "After my parents divorced, my dad didn't care about me. I stole cars again to get revenge on him."
The "wild taxi" driver reported: A fake policeman exchanged my Jetta with an old car.
Lin Shi entered the police's line of sight due to a report from a "wild taxi" driver in August this year. On August 7, a Hu surnamed "wild taxi" driver hurriedly drove a blue Kia flashing with police lights to the police station, "Just now, a policeman used an old Kia to exchange for my cloned Jetta taxi, asking me to accompany him to the police station for investigation, but he disappeared halfway." The Hu surnamed driver recalled that this "policeman" wore a police uniform, was thin, around 20 years old, and sternly questioned him if it was a cloned car upon getting out of the car. After receiving a positive answer, the "policeman" nodded toward the Kia with flashing police lights, "You, drive my car to the police station with me, and I'll drive your car." Subsequently, without any explanation, the "policeman" jumped into the Jetta taxi and sped off toward Wannianchang from the entrance of Chengdu University of Technology. The Hu surnamed driver cautiously followed the old Kia behind the police officer, but the Jetta suddenly turned around at the Mashi Bridge intersection and disappeared toward the back gate of Xinhua Park... The police found online that the Kia with police lights was actually a stolen car.
An even more dramatic message came the next day. During the Chenghua police's pursuit of this cloned taxi, it had been towed away by the transportation committee for illegal parking in a lane on Xin Hong Road...
B Investigation
To claim rewards, designed to defraud cloned taxis
Through the remnants left in the Jetta taxi and investigations, the police quickly identified Lin Shi, a habitual offender with a criminal record. After months of tracking, the arrest mentioned earlier took place.
In the police station, Lin Shi wore a set of brand-name sportswear, was short and thin, with dyed short hair, and almost answered all the police's questions. "I deceived the Jetta taxi to report it to the transportation committee and claim rewards." Lin Shi told the police that he had been watching this Jetta taxi for a long time, "Every time I passed the front of the university, the Jetta was parked there, unlike other taxis that ran around to solicit customers." He called the transportation committee's hotline, and the staff confirmed over the phone that the license plate number of this taxi had been scrapped, "If my report is true, will there be a reward?" Lin Shi prepared to personally catch this cloned "black car" and claim credit at the transportation committee.
In July this year, while passing by Mengzhuiwan, Lin Shi discovered an old blue Kia sedan, "The rear window wasn't closed tightly, and the dashboard light was on." Lin Shi tried touching the rear window, which collapsed effortlessly, allowing him to easily drive the car away, "This became his tool to exchange for the cloned Jetta." The police introduced that Lin Shi subsequently purchased a police light and obtained a set of imitation police uniforms, beginning his operation.
"After being released from prison in May this year, I also stole a Santana with keys sticking out of the trunk and an Alto with a weak anti-theft system," Lin Shi voluntarily confessed upon seeing Officer Li Su again. Due to continued neglect by his father after being released from prison, "hoping to create some incidents to attract their attention," Lin Shi embarked on the path of stealing cars again.
Twice caught stealing cars, the youth was originally a rich kid
By the time Lin Shi was apprehended, he admitted to stealing and deceiving four cars this time.
"Their family isn't short of money; what they lack is a complete family and care," the police introduced. Lin Shi's parents divorced when he was very young, and afterward, his mother went to work in Hong Kong, while his father married a stepmother and focused on business. According to media reports from two years ago, after graduating from junior high school, Lin Shi wandered outside, rarely returning home, and mostly idled outside. His father gave him 20,000 to 30,000 yuan each month, and his mother regularly sent 5,000 yuan... With a monthly living expense of more than ten thousand yuan, Lin Shi spent lavishly due to reasons such as renting private rooms, taking ecstasy (K powder), and gambling on football matches. The first car theft was due to a bet with friends who drove BMWs and Mercedes-Benzes; he wanted to get a car to play with too. "Later times were completely because it was fun."
In 2007, Lin Shi was criminally detained for stealing seven motor vehicles and subsequently sentenced to two years in prison. After being released from prison in May this year, Lin Shi felt that his father still didn't pay much attention to him. Believing he lacked care, he risked breaking the law again, "I wanted to cause some incidents to attract my family's attention and simultaneously take revenge on my father." Lin Shi said that since he wasn't short of money, none of the four cars he stole or defrauded were sold, "After driving for a few days and getting tired of them, I would just leave them by the roadside and then steal a new one to drive."
The police introduced that most of the cars Lin Shi stole twice were low-end cars like Altos and vans. He had a great interest in playing and would even dismantle devices like CD players and subwoofers from the cars and sell them. Two years ago, the car he stole was even towed away by traffic police.
C Father actually loved him? Dialogue with girlfriend
Yesterday, reporters contacted Lin Shi's girlfriend Jiao Jiao (a pseudonym) after much effort. Jiao Jiao told reporters that she is currently actively trying to contact Lin Shi's family.
Reporter: What do you think Lin Shi is like? Jiao Jiao: We've known each other for a few years, but we've only been dating for a few days until the incident occurred. Lin Shi comes from a wealthy family, but he always thought his father didn't care about him.
Reporter: Have you managed to contact his family yet? Jiao Jiao: I've already notified his mom in Hong Kong. Lin's mom said she would return to Chengdu soon to handle related matters (such as hiring a lawyer). I haven't been able to reach Lin's dad. I only know that his father owns a few restaurants in Chengdu. I plan to go find them later.
Reporter: Does Lin's dad really not care about him?
Jiao Jiao: Lin Shi rarely goes home. I only know the general location of his house. But according to Lin's father's business partners, Lin's father actually deeply loves this only son. The previous times Lin got into trouble, his father spent a lot of money. Lin Shi actually didn't steal cars for money. I hope to hire a good lawyer to defend him.
D Lack of love, youth is not inherently bad Dialogue with police officer
Yesterday afternoon, Li Su, the instructor of Shengdeng Temple Police Station who was present both times Lin Shi was arrested, recounted the interaction process with Lin Shi to reporters. Li Su said that Lin Shi is not inherently bad, "he just has a big playful heart. According to him, his father doesn't care about him."
Reporter: What was the situation when you met Lin Shi for the first time? Li Su: Two years ago, when Lin Shi was arrested by the Fuching Road Police Station for stealing motor vehicles, I had multiple interactions with him during the process of identifying the crime scene. This child kept saying his father didn't care about him. The officers were nice to him at the time, often buying him the fast food he liked, like KFC.
Reporter: How was the second meeting?
Li Su: When I heard that Lin Shi was caught again for stealing cars, I immediately went to see him after transferring to the Shengdeng Temple Police Station. The young man recognized me right away and said I was the police officer from Fuching Road before. Lin Shi said the reason he committed theft was because his father still didn't care about him, but he refused to disclose any contact information for his father. As of now, we have still been unable to contact his father.
Reporter: What is the reason for Lin Shi's crimes? Li Su: Through two interactions, I realized that Lin Shi is not inherently bad, just overly playful. Previously, when he stole cars, he would dismantle the sound systems, CDs, etc., just to play with them. His family conditions are indeed good. He never sold the stolen cars; he just drove them around everywhere. This time, when he defrauded the cloned car, he claimed it was to report it to the transportation committee. I feel that family reasons should be one of the causes of his crimes.
Reporter: What reminders does Lin Shi's case provide to citizens?
Li Su: Through this case, the police hope to remind citizens that most of the cars Lin Shi stole had poor self-defense facilities. For example, keys left in the trunk, ignition switches not properly turned off, damaged windows, etc. Officers hope that in addition to parking cars in proper parking lots, car owners should also pay attention to their own maintenance and care.
Chenghua Public Security Bureau publicity, reporter Zhong Rong. Photos provided by the police.