Shi-Jin-Yu Mu Xiang Zhai Co., Ltd.

Century-Old Lukang Incense Shop Stripped of Signature Agarwood in Burglary

[March 31, 2009, 06:00 | Reported by Liu Hsiao-hsin, Changhua]

 

The retail storefront of Shih Chin Yu San Fang, a century-old incense shop in Lukang, Changhua County, reported a burglary yesterday. The losses included an agarwood Guanyin statue, prayer beads, sandalwood, and "water-sinking" (high-grade) agarwood, with a total estimated value of approximately $3 million TWD. Because the thieves focused exclusively on high-priced aromatic woods—leaving behind gold medals on deities and even cash—it is suspected that the stolen goods are intended for sale on the black market in Mainland China.

 

The Lukang Police Precinct stated that they have reviewed all surveillance footage in hopes of tracking the suspects via their vehicle. Three fingerprints collected at the scene are currently being cross-referenced as the investigation proceeds with full force.

 

A Major Blow: $3 Million in Losses

Hung Bao-chen, the proprietress of the Shih Chin Yu San Fang storefront, stated that she was notified by neighbors early yesterday morning that the shop's rolling shutter door had been pulled up. Upon arriving and inspecting the scene, she nearly fainted. The thieves had broken in through a back window after cutting through part of the iron bars. Once inside, they stripped the shop of almost every high-value item. "It’s a massive bloodletting," she lamented.

 

Hung noted that the stolen items included an agarwood Guanyin statue worth over $100,000 TWD, two large strands of 108-bead agarwood prayer beads valued at roughly $700,000 TWD, and over ten catties of "water-sinking" agarwood worth more than $2 million TWD, along with various sandalwood pieces.

 

"The thief was an expert!" Hung remarked. She pointed out that the burglars only took high-end raw aromatic woods and finished luxury products. They ignored boxes of incense sticks worth tens of thousands of dollars, the gold medals hanging on the statues of deities, and even the cash inside the shop. This indicates the thieves had specialized knowledge of aromatic woods and were not typical opportunistic burglars.

 

The owner, Shih Chi-hsun, added that these aromatic woods are all imported. Since exporting countries have recently implemented quotas or sales bans—and the natural supply of the wood continues to dwindle—prices have been skyrocketing.