TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Police in Kinmen apprehended a suspect Thursday in connection with the attempted robbery of a 623-year-old tomb.
The Chen (陳) family discovered the disturbance at the tomb of Chen Hsien (陳顯), an official, when they returned for tomb-sweeping rites, per NOWNews. After reviewing surveillance footage over several days, police identified and detained a suspect surnamed Li (李), seizing equipment believed to be linked to the case.
Investigators said Li had borrowed a book on Kinmen’s historic tombs and archways and is believed to have scouted Chen Hsien’s tomb in February and March, along with four other sites, per Liberty Times.
Authorities said the tomb’s outer turtle-shaped structure was breached, but the inner chamber remained intact after the suspect was unable to penetrate deeper layers.
Kinmen County Magistrate Chen Fu-hai (陳福海) said he has instructed authorities to install additional surveillance along key access routes to historic sites following the incident, per RTI.
