Thief asks police to return property to homeowner because of remorse
Truong Huy Dinh, 23 years old, felt remorseful after stealing more than 200 million VND worth of property, so he packed it in a styrofoam box and brought it to the police to return.
On February 25, Truong Huy Dinh (from Tien Giang) was sentenced to 3 years in prison by the People's Court of Ho Chi Minh City for the crime ofTheft of propertyAccording to the panel of judges, the defendant returned the property to the victim, confessed honestly, was sick... so his sentence was partially reduced.
According to the indictment, Dinh had worked abroad and was fluent in Japanese. On January 5, 2019, he met Mr. Matsubara Masakazu (Japanese nationality) at a restaurant in District 7. With the intention of stealing his property, when Mr. Masakazu got in his car to go home, Dinh followed him to his apartment on Nguyen Luong Bang Street, District 7.
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Dinh sat in a wheelchair to appear in court due to muscle atrophy in both legs. Photo:H.D. |
Two days later, Dinh took a taxi, climbed through the bathroom window and broke in. He took Mr. Masakazu's clothes, put the safe (small type), camera and some other belongings in a suitcase and then leisurely walked out the main door.
He assumed that there were valuables in the safe, so he took a bus straight to Tan Son Nhat airport to go to Japan because he had a visa. He intended to hire a service to pack the safe and his assets for deposit. However, because the luggage exceeded the weight limit, his plan to go abroad failed.
He then took a bus to Tien Giang to rent a motel to store his assets. He intended to use a grinder to break open the safe and steal more than 7,000 USD, 52,000 Japanese Yen, and many other assets and documents. The total value of the assets he appropriated was more than 207 million VND. He intended to exchange 200 USD into Vietnamese currency to spend.
Feeling remorseful about his actions, on the same day, Dinh put all the remaining assets in a styrofoam box, hired a taxi to take him to Phu My Ward Police Station, District 7, and sent him a note saying "I ask the police to return the assets to Mr. Masakazu". On the evening of January 9, 2019, Dinh went to District 7 Police Station to surrender.
During the investigation, Dinh suddenly became uncooperative, so the investigation agency sent the defendant for a psychiatric examination. The forensic conclusion determined that after committing the crime, Dinh "consciously feigned illness."
In court today, the defendant expressed remorse and asked the court to consider reducing his sentence so that he could return home soon for treatment. He said that while in detention, he suffered complications from previous ear infections that left him paralyzed in both legs.
