Tainan, Taiwan – April 26, 2026 — Two men were arrested after a failed attempt to steal money from a coin exchange machine inside a claw machine arcade in southern Taiwan, police said.
The incident took place in the early morning of April 9 at a claw machine shop located along Xinxing Road in Tainan’s South District. According to investigators, the two suspects entered the arcade around 6:30 a.m. and attempted to force open the coin changer to steal the money stored inside.
Security footage showed the pair trying several methods to break into the machine. At one point, one of the men was seen lifting his shirt to wipe away sweat after struggling to damage the equipment. The suspects even used a fire extinguisher to smash the coin changer, but despite their efforts, they were unable to open it.
The shop owner later reviewed the surveillance footage, discovered the attempted theft, and reported the incident to authorities.
Police from the Tainan City Police Department Sixth Precinct launched an investigation and identified the suspects through follow-up inquiries. The next day, officers arrested a man surnamed Cha, in his 30s, and another man surnamed Li, in his 20s.
Both suspects were taken into custody and are now facing charges related to attempted theft and property damage.
The failed robbery drew public attention after footage of the incident circulated online, where social media users mocked the suspects for their unsuccessful efforts to break into the machine despite repeated attempts.
Authorities reminded business owners to regularly monitor surveillance systems and urged the public to report suspicious activities immediately to help prevent theft and vandalism.