TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A man who stole a gold necklace from a jewelry shop in Taiwan’s Changhua City on Thursday (Oct. 12) was quickly apprehended by police.

A press release by the Changhua County Police Department on Saturday (Oct. 14) said a man surnamed Chao (趙) visited to a jewelry store in the coastal city of Changhua on Thursday. While there, he pretended to be interested in buying gold jewelry, repoted CNA.

Taken in by the ruse, the store owner took out a gold necklace and began showing it to Chao. The latter then snatched it and made his escape, police said.

After the crime was reported, police immediately reviewed surveillance footage from local cameras. They discovered that after Chao left the jewelry store he took a taxi onto National Freeway No. 1 and headed north.

Changhua police notifed the National Highway Police Bureau and the Miaoli County Police who moved to intercept Chao. They arrested him near a convenience store close to the Sanyi Interchange on National Freeway No. 1.

Chao had NT$130,000 (US$4,036) in cash on his person when police arrested him. He also had two mobile phones, police said.

During their investigation, police discovered that Chao had initially taken a train to the scene of the crime. He then fled to Taichung where he sold the jewelry before heading to Sanyi Township in Miaoli County.

After he was apprehended, Chao confessed he had incurred gambling debts amounting to millions of New Taiwan dollars. To repay his debt, he took the risk of robbing the jewelry store.

The whole criminal episode from Chao’s theft of the necklace to his capture lasted only two hours. Following questioning, Chao was transferred to the Changhua District Prosecutors Office for prosecution on charges of robbery.