Published on ShanghaiDaily.com (http://www.shanghaidaily.com/)
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2008/200812/20081211/article_384077.htm
3 men charged for mugging lone women
Created: 2008-12-11 1:10:58
Author:Angela Xu
THREE would-be muggers from Shandong Province were arrested yesterday for allegedly robbing single women because they couldn't make money operating an unlicensed taxi.
The Minhang District Prosecutors' Office charged Li Riyong, Shen Zhipeng and Chen Hongxing, all aged around 20, with robbery.
Prosecutors said Li bought a car without a plate from a second-hand vehicle market on July 5 and started a black taxi business. But a week later he found few people would get in his cab and concluded it was because passengers didn't trust him as the car had no plate.
He met Shen and Chen, both from the same town as Li, a few days later and they planned to steal a plate for Li, prosecutors said.
It is alleged the trio stole a plate from a silver sedan at Jidi Road but decided it was too difficult to earn money driving a taxi and instead hatched a plan to rob women who drove privately owned cars.
It is alleged that on October 20, the men, carrying a knife and two iron pipes, saw a Toyota car entering a residential community. Li drove up behind the Toyota and Shen and Chen smashed the car's window with the iron pipe. They opened the car door and ordered the car owner surnamed Huang to take out her money and mobile phone, prosecutors said.
But a security guard came and the three men fled empty-handed, prosecutors said.
When Li drove to Wang-chun Road later that night, the trio allegedly targeted a woman surnamed Lu who was walking alone. Shen went up to snatch the bag carried by the woman and threaten her with a knife. But prosecutors said Lu refused to give up the bag, so Shen allegedly cut her on the arm and leg.
The trio were caught later that night by police.
The Minhang District Prosecutors' Office charged Li Riyong, Shen Zhipeng and Chen Hongxing, all aged around 20, with robbery.
Prosecutors said Li bought a car without a plate from a second-hand vehicle market on July 5 and started a black taxi business. But a week later he found few people would get in his cab and concluded it was because passengers didn't trust him as the car had no plate.
He met Shen and Chen, both from the same town as Li, a few days later and they planned to steal a plate for Li, prosecutors said.
It is alleged the trio stole a plate from a silver sedan at Jidi Road but decided it was too difficult to earn money driving a taxi and instead hatched a plan to rob women who drove privately owned cars.
It is alleged that on October 20, the men, carrying a knife and two iron pipes, saw a Toyota car entering a residential community. Li drove up behind the Toyota and Shen and Chen smashed the car's window with the iron pipe. They opened the car door and ordered the car owner surnamed Huang to take out her money and mobile phone, prosecutors said.
But a security guard came and the three men fled empty-handed, prosecutors said.
When Li drove to Wang-chun Road later that night, the trio allegedly targeted a woman surnamed Lu who was walking alone. Shen went up to snatch the bag carried by the woman and threaten her with a knife. But prosecutors said Lu refused to give up the bag, so Shen allegedly cut her on the arm and leg.
The trio were caught later that night by police.
Copyright © 2001-2009 Shanghai Daily Publishing House