Taipei, Taiwan — December 17, 2025
A 51-year-old female delivery driver was arrested in Taichung on Tuesday for allegedly stealing high-end smartphones worth approximately NT$260,000 from a mobile phone store in Wenshan District, Taipei. Police recovered only three of the stolen phones, a pair of earphones, and NT$9,000 in cash from the suspect, who has a prior criminal record for theft. The case has been referred to the Taipei District Prosecutors Office on charges of embezzlement, with authorities continuing to track down the remaining stolen property.
According to investigators from Wenshan Second Precinct, the store owner, surnamed Yi, had on December 12 entrusted LALAMOVE delivery platform to transport nine new smartphones—including premium models such as the iPhone 17 Pro Max—along with NT$54,000 in cash. The delivery driver, identified as Wu, accepted the order but failed to deliver the items and went missing immediately after.
Police said Wu previously committed two thefts while working as a delivery driver, prompting the store owner to criticize LALAMOVE’s lack of background checks on its personnel. “I won’t use the platform again,” Yi reportedly said.
After receiving the report, Wenshan police formed a special task force, reviewed surveillance footage, and tracked the suspect’s movements. Authorities discovered that Wu fled south by motorcycle the same day, briefly stopping in Taoyuan before continuing to Taichung. She hid in rented apartments and motels to evade capture.
Acting on a warrant issued by prosecutors, officers apprehended Wu at around 1:00 p.m. in Beitun District, Taichung. At the scene, police seized one phone, three unsold new phones, a set of earphones, and NT$9,000 in cash. Wu admitted to selling part of the stolen property, and police are actively investigating the whereabouts of the remaining items.
The case is now under investigation for embezzlement, and authorities are examining whether Wu may be linked to other crimes.