September 10, 2025 | Nantou, Taiwan — A repeat offender surnamed Lin has been sentenced to one year in prison after stealing an excavator in Zhushan, Nantou, and using it to ram a police vehicle and attack officers during a dramatic confrontation late last year.
According to police, Lin, who has a prior criminal record, broke into a local factory in December 2024 and stole an excavator along with a utility knife. Lacking a getaway vehicle, he drove the noisy machine onto the main road in the early morning hours, drawing attention from residents and alerting authorities.
When officers attempted to intercept him, Lin resisted arrest and aggressively maneuvered the excavator toward the police car. He reportedly rotated the machine and swung its bucket in an attempt to strike officers, while also ramming the vehicle multiple times.
Police responded by breaking the excavator’s window, using pepper spray, and eventually managing to pull out the ignition key, ending the standoff. During the scuffle, Lin allegedly hurled insults, punched officers, and caused injuries before being subdued and taken into custody.
The Nantou District Court found him guilty of theft using a weapon and obstruction of public service. He was sentenced to seven months in prison for theft and ten months for obstruction, to be served concurrently for a total of one year.
Authorities emphasized that Lin showed no remorse despite serving previous prison terms, calling him a habitual offender whose reckless actions endangered both police and the public.
