Taiwan burglars use toy helicopter to spot targets

TAIPEI - Taiwan police have arrested two men accused of using a toy helicopter to search homes before burgling them, a newspaper reported Sunday.

Taipei police arrested Chang Chen-cheng and seized the model aircraft, plus stolen goods, at his home, and are searching for his partner in crime Ah Hsiang.

The pair have allegedly committed a dozen burglaries using the toy helicopter, the Apple Daily said.

According to police, Chang and Ah Hsiang would ride motorbikes in North Taiwan to search for suitable victims, then release the toy radio-controlled helicopter.

The helicopter would fly to the window of an apartment, take photos of the inside of the apartment, and send the images to a computer inside the car.

If the photos revealed there was no one in the apartment, Chang and Ah Hsiang would allegedly break in and carry out the burglary, the Apple Daily said.

The helicopter was powered by a battery and measured 21-centimetres and could remain airborne for 12 minutes - with little noise.