Convicted of theft for picking up abandoned OBike

Oh yeah, that sneaky trap where you use a power tool to gain access (by inflicting damage) to someone else’s property and then take it as your own and then you get in trouble for it?
That trap?

Devious bastards!

(nothing personal, @TL, but come on)

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None of which is relevant, you didn’t need to take more than one, taking more than one looks like you are trying to profit from them regardless of what you may think.

Why do you keep incorrectly stating he took more than one bike? Do you have some evidence which contradicts what he has said?

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Good point, I’ve reread it, originally I misread it as he had a bunch of abandoned obikes at his house.

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the OP never mentioned he took more than one.

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I guess @eldrich interpreted this:

(italics added by me)

in this way:

(italics added by me)

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You are right, but in context it was somewhat more clear. And it was made clearer later.

I’m not reading all the comments so I don’t know if this is repeated, but the assets of the company have been or are being seized for fines owed. So the bikes are or will be owned by whatever authority for scrap, and until then are owned by the company. Companies still exist as a legal entity until they are formally closed and divested of assets. If the ‘bunch of oBikes’ was literal, that may be their holding place. I know if at least one place where there are a bunch near a garbage truck depot or whatever.
Were it me, I would have said I found it that way, but it seems too late for that now. I also would have taken a can of spray paint to it before riding it. I tried to take the light off one to put it on mine, but the generators don’t work the same as the YouBike’s. I was going to just pinch one if I ever found one of the bigger ones, but I’m definitely not after reading this.

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Yea, please don’t.

My dad is saying if you found 1nt on the ground do not pick it up because sometimes people get petty with this shit and would call the cops with the security footage saying you stole it. And even if it’s 1nt it’s still larceny (well, not really, it’s another crime but penalties are exactly the same).

What can hurt is not so much the actual penalty but if you were on probation or recently convicted of something (5 years or less ago) that will hurt you BIG TIME as that aggravates things since you are now a repeat offender. If you are a foreigner, as in not ROC ID holder or something your visas may be canceled and you’ll be banned for 10 years, even on some petty stuff like picking up 1nt.

Perhaps this is why lost wallets are never swiped, because the penalties can be harsher if certain factors were met. Picking up 1nt would normally be a fine only offense but let’s say you used a screwdriver to pry that 1nt because it was stuck on the floor with gum, well now it’s aggravated theft because you used a screwdriver. Or you failed to return a wallet and in the CCTV footage you had a tool of some kind on you.

Believe it or not, Taiwan knife laws are actually pretty lenient compared to China (where carrying any knives without purpose is illegal). It’s actually comparable to most jurisdictions in the US with the exception of illegal knives (meaning switchblades, swords longer than 28cm, etc.). However, if it was discovered that you were carrying say a utility knife (which everyone, especially ahmahs, has one) while taking something, it’s aggravated with a min. sentence of 6 months. And I heard in Thailand theft is punished as harshly as bank robbery…

Messed up, I know.

Not if you bring it to the nearest police station. After 6 month the money is yours to keep if the owner could not be identified.

I would have been in so much trouble if I got caught during my butterfly knife years. I never took one traveling, but I always picked one up in the markets. Always kept it next to my wallet. It’s probably lucky that, the one time I needed it, I forgot I had it. Taxi driver fight. But if I got caught, I found it on the ground. If I’ve learned anything from watching a thousand episodes of legal dramas, admit nothing, especially if there’s no lawyer. And a lawyer is cheaper than what you will get without one.

I preferred a jackknife, but those got hard to find in the 90’s. I’m so glad I learned to deal with problems better.

If making guitars is what you’re good at and what you enjoy, I think it’s a better idea than just asking for money from strangers. “Help me pay my debt by buying a guitar” or something. Win-win. :guitar: :slight_smile:

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I think it’s only 1 month, at least for smaller amounts. Found a few 100 NTs on the ground a while back, took them to the police and filed a report. They even let you take the money as long as you leave your contact details. If they don’t contact you within a month, it’s yours.

What if it’s in a red envelope? Aren’t those meant to be picked up so you can get a ghost spouse?

There are Taiwanese crowdfunding sites. Most are with an artistic purpose but you can raise money for anything.

To OP, well you can surpass this problem and will find solution.
Everyone makes mistake in our life and we learned lesson from it.

Yea I just wonder if the prosecutors office is right in that I need to wait for a summon for commitment before I can apply for community service…

So, did you go to prosecutors office?
How about LAF?

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I just made an appointment with LAF.

I asked the prosecutors office and they said to wait for a summon

My fear is the prosecutor arbitrarily deciding I can’t pay a fine or do community service and must go to jail. I just want to know if there are rules about it.

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But what if the ghost left the envelope there for someone else? :ghost: :heart: :ring:

@Taiwan_Luthiers is the media angle still under consideration?

People hate those rusty bikes littered everywhere I heard. Here you are trying to recycle something which very soon will be unusable rusted rubbish, and you are slapped with such an outrageous fine/sentence.

I think going to the media is worth the risk…