A 23-year-old man has been arrested after allegedly entering a claw machine arcade in Banqiao, New Taipei, and damaging several items with a machete because he was reportedly in a bad mood.
The incident happened at around 5am on Sunday (Aug 30) at a claw machine shop along Daren Street. The man, identified by his surname Chang, was captured on CCTV allegedly swinging a machete at surveillance cameras and electric fans inside the premises before leaving on foot.
The shop owner discovered the damage later that morning and contacted police. The owner also lodged a report over the incident, prompting officers to begin tracing the suspect based on surveillance footage from the area.
Investigators found that the suspect had parked his vehicle outside the shop before the incident. Police subsequently identified Chang and asked him to come forward for questioning.
During questioning, Chang reportedly told police that he did not know the shop owner and had no personal dispute with the business. He claimed he had parked outside the premises because the area was not marked with red lines prohibiting parking.
He allegedly said he was already in a bad mood at the time and, in a fit of anger, took a machete into the shop and damaged the equipment.
Police have since taken Chang into custody and referred the case for further legal action on suspicion of intimidation and property damage offences.
The incident has also drawn attention online after footage of the vandalism was shared, highlighting how a seemingly minor parking-related circumstance and a moment of anger can quickly escalate into a criminal case.
