Chiayi Man Detained for Sexually Harassing Five Women While Pretending to Ask for Directions

A 65-year-old man surnamed Hsu in Chiayi City allegedly sexually harassed five strangers within two hours yesterday morning while riding a scooter, touching their breasts and buttocks. After being notified by police, the Chiayi District Prosecutors Office requested his detention, and the Chiayi District Court ruled to detain him, citing the risk of repeated offenses. The Chiayi District Prosecutors Office issued a press release today stating that the Chiayi City Police Bureau's Women and Children Protection Squad received reports yesterday of a man on a scooter sexually harassing women while pretending to ask for directions. After reviewing surveillance footage, they identified Hsu as the prime suspect and notified the Chiayi County Police Bureau's Shuishang Precinct to assist in intercepting and questioning him. After questioning by prosecutor Chen Rui-ming, it was determined that between 10:30 AM and 12:30 PM yesterday, Hsu randomly approached five strangers in Taibao City, Chiayi County, and various locations in Chiayi City, including the intersection of Xinsheng Road and Jiabei Street, in front of Chiayi High School of Commerce on Zhongshan Road, and the intersection of Beigang Road and Baofu 1st Road. He pretended to ask for directions, suddenly touched the victims' breasts, buttocks, back, and thighs, and made sexually suggestive remarks. Hsu denied intentionally touching the women, claiming that he had been beaten in a dispute with others, which left him physically weak, causing his body to lean toward them while asking for directions, leading to accidental contact. The prosecution stated that Hsu's sexual harassment was serious. Given that he targeted five innocent women in two hours, there is a high risk of him repeating the crime. If not detained, more women would be at risk, so they requested detention, which the court granted today without a ban on visits.