Taoyuan: Three suspects in the theft of a gold necklace and pendant from a jewelry store in Taoyuan were arrested in the early hours of Monday, about nine hours after the theft on Sunday afternoon, according to the city's Yangmei Precinct.

According to Focus Taiwan, Deputy Yangmei Precinct chief Chen Lung-wen told reporters that police received a report around 5 p.m. Sunday that a jewelry store on Zhongzheng Road in Xinwu District had been robbed. When police arrived on the scene, they were informed that two men, posing as customers, had snatched a gold necklace and pendant while the staff were distracted and then fled on a motorcycle.

The stolen items weighed about two taels and have an estimated value of NT$420,000 (US$13,375). After reviewing surveillance footage from the store and surrounding areas, members of a police task force quickly identified the suspects and the getaway vehicle. Further investigation revealed that the suspects had stolen the motorcycle earlier that day on Zhonghua Road in preparation for the theft.

Police recovered the motorcycle at Fuxing Fishing Port in the neighboring Hsinchu County and arrested a man surnamed Chou, who was suspected of assisting the two thieves. The two men who had entered the jewelry store were arrested around 2 a.m. on Monday under a bridge along Provincial Highway 61 in Guanyin District.

According to Chen, the men, surnamed Liu and Peng, told police during questioning that they decided to steal the jewelry due to financial difficulties. They claimed to have ditched the jewelry during their escape, but police later found the necklace and pendant at Chou's residence in Guanyin District. The case has been referred to the Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office for further investigation, while police continue to check phone records and other evidence to determine whether there were any other accomplices.