TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A suspect was arrested on Tuesday evening (Oct. 20), nine hours after he allegedly stole over NT$400,000 (US$14,000) in cash from a customer at a bank in the heart of Taipei.

At 2 p.m. on Tuesday, a CTBC Bank customer at the Dongmen branch on Xinyi Road, Section 2 withdrew NT$424,000 from the bank and placed it in a paper bag. However, while the customer was sitting in the lobby, the suspect suddenly rushed forward, snatched the bag, and escaped via Dongmen MRT station, reported CNA.

The 69-year-old customer, surnamed Yan (顏), had reportedly withdrawn the money to exchange it with the suspect for Chinese yuan. The Taipei City Police Department dispatched officers to the scene to collect evidence and track the movements of the thief.

Witnesses said that they saw the customer leave the bank only to be robbed by a man about 175 cm in height wearing a white coat. The victim reportedly tried to chase him down while yelling "robbery!" but the assailant was too fast and was last seen entering the Dongmen MRT station.

After reviewing surveillance footage, police confirmed that the suspect boarded a taxi after taking the MRT.

Continuing to trace the suspect's movements, they found him on Tuesday evening in New Taipei City's Banqiao District nine hours after the crime took place and placed him under arrest. Police said that the suspect is a juvenile aged 16 and that the case is still under investigation.