TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – After over two weeks of tracking and investigating the habits of the "Wild Man of Taiwan" (台灣野人), police in Pingtung County successfully apprehended Lin Jin-Bao (林金寶), who stands accused of several counts of theft and 20 instances of breaking and entering.

On the evening of Aug. 5 in Pingtung’s Manzhou Township (滿州鄉), Lin was spotted around an industrial road in the mountains of Jiulongshan District (九龍山區). The police immediately dispatched a 10-man task force that has been tracking Lin in Pingtung.

Lin was soon spotted hiding in a tree but took off running to escape. Task force members were quickly able to corner the mountain recluse in the difficult woodland terrain. After his arrest, Lin reportedly confessed to the crimes he has been accused of, which include breaking and entering.

On July 19, Lin, who is 50 years old, was recorded sneaking into a residence in Taiwan’s Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島) during heavy rains. He was caught on camera for several hours fixing a meal, lounging naked, and even playing on a resident’s ipad as he waited out the storm.

Lin has developed a reputation in southern Taiwan for living outdoors and coming into towns to search for food and discarded items, occasionally stealing from private property. Lin has been spotted sneaking into several homes and factories in Manzhou Township (滿州鄉) in recent months and has also been accused of stealing bicycles.

Just two days previous, Lin was thought to have injured himself while evading authorities near a village over 20 kilometers from the area where he was caught. Arresting offers were surprised that Lin was able to travel so quickly in just two days without being spotted, reports the Liberty Times.



10 man task force that caught Lin included members that tracked him 10 years ago on his first run from the law (CNA photo)