Thursday, November 24, 2011

Subway smasher arrested after hammer destruction rampage

A man was arrested and indicted for smashing toilets and lifts in subway stations in Shanghai, China. The suspect, surnamed Liu, used a hammer to smash the glass mirrors in lifts and mirrors and sensors in men’s rooms at four stations along Shanghai's subway line 1, according to evidence presented in court on Tuesday.

After authorities clued in on his trail of destruction, the man was confronted and tackled by subway staff as he was trying to smash a subway station men's room. All in all, his rampage lasted for about an hour and a half.


YouTube link.

The damage to the subway totalled more than 13,000 yuan (about $2,050), according to the estimate by a court-appointed damage assessor. To explain his actions, Liu said he was set off when he lined in a long queue to use the toilet. The destruction started when he kicked two sensors attached to the urinals after he relieved himself.

Instead of stopping there, Liu left to buy a hammer, wrapped it with newspaper, and brought it back in the subway to implement further destruction. "I felt stressed and vexed at that time when I found it difficult to find a job in Shanghai and met other difficulties in life as well. I vented all my pent-up anger that day when I came across (the toilet line)," said Liu.

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