Chapter 1019: Three Criminal Suspects

The results from Chen Jiang’s side made everyone very excited.

Lu Chuan urged even more: “Continue.”

“About a kilometer down this road is a town. If the suspect escaped through here, in my opinion, it’s quite possible. Once in the town, it’s like entering a densely populated area, making it easier to move around.”

Chen Jiang switched the projection to a long-range photo of the scene.

“After discovering this situation in the afternoon, we sent two groups along this road towards the town to conduct interviews and investigations. There are some surveillance cameras in there, but so far, we haven’t found many clues. We plan to send more people tomorrow to check all the surveillance in the town.”

Ordinarily, a theft case wouldn’t require so much effort, but this case involves a large sum, totaling 10 million, and this money is the annual bonus for the mine workers. If it can’t be distributed, the consequences would be significant.

Lu Chuan reported the relevant case details to the higher-ups, who instructed him to do everything possible to handle the case.

A theft involving tens of millions can be considered a large-scale theft case.

“Additionally, we found some traces of stepping over the northwest and northeast corners of the wall, but these are minor and don’t seem to be new, so we think our focus should be on these trace on the tower.”

Chen Jiang suggested: “We’ve already extracted these three sets of footprints; my suggestion is to collect footprints from everyone in the area tomorrow. Matching them might help solve the case.”

Chen Jiang’s idea was to pursue a two-pronged approach.

On one hand, he sent people into the town to search for clues, hoping to gather evidence about the suspect’s crime. On the other hand, perform an internal sweep at the mine. With 300+ people, collecting footprints and matching them should help identify the suspects.

“Alright! Let’s do as you said.”

Director Lu thought Chen Jiang’s suggestion was quite good. Although screening over 300 people would take some time, it was indeed worthwhile.

The next day.

The Criminal Investigation Team organized people to collect footprints from everyone. The North City Police Station’s forces were also utilized. Each officer led a group, totaling over 30 groups. This way, each group only needed to collect footprints from 10 people, making it relatively quick and less than an hour to complete.

The key part was the matching process afterwards.

Chen Jiang found three sets of footprints around the wall, indicating there were likely three people involved.

One size 42 shoe and two size 44 shoes.

They wore labor protection shoes issued by the mine, and the prints were clear, indicating they were issued recently and had minimal wear.

After collecting over 300 footprints, they immediately eliminated those that didn’t match the sizes, leaving 61 people.

With the 61 footprints left, Lu Chuan could compare them on his own in about one or two hours.

Quickly, results were out by noon.

“Wang Hao, Li Bin, Zhang Baoku.”

Upon identifying these three, Lu Chuan immediately notified Wang Zhaokai to isolate and examine them.

Wang Zhaokai, who had been investigating the workers at the mine, did not leave.

After receiving notice from Lu Chuan, Wang Zhaokai immediately took these three individuals away.

Chen Jiang then proceeded to the town to conduct specific interviews regarding these three individuals’ physical features.

“Wang Hao, speak up. Where were you the night of the crime?”

Faced with the detective’s interrogation, Wang Hao looked shifty, his eyes darting around.

This behavior clearly indicated something was up.

“I…I didn’t go anywhere, just slept in the dormitory.”

“Slept?”

Bam!

The interrogating detective slapped the table and glared at him: “Wang Hao, be honest. Do you even know what you’re involved in now? Suspected theft of 10 million; if caught, you’ll face at least 10 years.”

“Do you think we don’t have any clues or evidence after picking you out from over 300 people? If you continue to resist and say nothing, you’ll be the one to suffer.”

To deal with people like this, the detective’s interrogation was quite effective. Scare them a bit, and they might just spill everything, without needing any psychological tactics.

“And it’s not like you did this alone. You have two accomplices. Right now, Li Bin and Zhang Baoku are also being interrogated next door. Can you guarantee they won’t talk? If they do and you don’t, that’s resisting with severity; they’re being lenient due to confession.”

A few words from the interrogating detective broke down Wang Hao’s defenses.

But what he confessed made the detective speechless: “Officer, did you…might have made a mistake? The 10 million…has nothing to do with us… We just went out for fun the night before last…”

In another interrogation room.

Li Bin was so anxious that he was about to cry.

“Officer, please don’t falsely accuse us. That 10 million has nothing to do with us. If you don’t believe me, ask Wang Hao and that Zhang Baoku; we went out together to find a pay girl. That money has nothing to do with us. I really don’t know about this.”

“Right, Red Romance! Go investigate Red Romance in the town!”

“The night before last, I was with Fangfang, he will definitely back me up. After visiting him, the three of us returned. We really didn’t take your 10 million; it has nothing to do with me!”

Wang Zhaokai personally interrogated Zhang Baoku.

“The night before last, the three of us went out together around 12:30 midnight; the three of us are in the same dormitory group, sharing one room.”

Zhang Baoku detailed their outing, purpose, and return time the night before last.

“There’s a KTV called Red Romance in the town where you can stay, sing, and do other things. It’s near the New Year’s, so we thought we’d go have a little fun.”

“After it ended, it was past three, and we just came back.”

“As for the money matter, we truly don’t know anything about it. The money wasn’t stolen by us; otherwise, had it been us, we wouldn’t have returned, we’d have just fled.”

Wang Zhaokai passed these findings to Chen Jiang in the town, who immediately went to Red Romance to investigate.

In the afternoon, the two reported back to Lu Chuan.

“Captain Lu, this lead has gone cold.”

Chen Jiang initially thought the lead he found might solve the case, but it turned out these three were just out for pleasure, and the situation at Red Romance aligned with their story.