According to the facts discovered so far, Niu Huan and Chang Yingcai's actions fully constituted the crime of theft. Illegally stealing others' parts was a foregone conclusion. Additionally, with a cumulative total of more than three thefts within two years, their actions constituted frequent theft. The circumstances were serious. According to the relevant criminal law provisions, he would be sentenced to a fixed-term imprisonment of three to ten years, and a fine would be imposed. As an accomplice, Chang Yingcai would also serve more than three years, though his term would be comparatively shorter.

"Really... going to prison?" Niu Huan's eyes nearly popped out of his head when he heard what Shen Dao said. He frantically shook his head, unwilling to accept this outcome. It wasn't his first time doing this sort of thing; his colleagues had done it many times. He had never heard of anyone being arrested for theft.

"That's because the parties involved didn't report it to the police, so the prosecutor's office wasn't aware of the incidents." Shen Dao looked at Niu Huan intently and said in a stern voice, "Otherwise, as long as the value of the stolen property meets the threshold for filing a case, their actions would also constitute theft!"

The angle Qin Mu had found was indeed very unique, Shen Dao thought. To be honest, I've handled many maintenance dispute cases, but this is the first time I've encountered one where theft was reported. In the past, such incidents were typically handled with administrative penalties from market supervision departments, ordering corrections. But the approach Qin Mu proposed met the conditions for filing a criminal case. It elevated the matter from a commercial civil dispute to a criminal one. For cases involving illegal criminal behavior, we must file them and conduct an investigation.

"Let's start with your friend's name, home address, basic information, and your dealings..." Shen Dao continued the interrogation, beginning to inquire about his accomplices who helped dispose of the stolen goods. Since the case now involved theft, and with theft established, the crime of concealing or disguising criminal proceeds and their benefits would naturally follow. If Niu Huan had stolen and sold the goods himself, this particular charge wouldn't apply. The criminal law stipulates that this crime targets not the thief, but others who assist. After all, one can't expect a thief to steal goods and not try to sell them. However, anyone else who helps the thief deal with illegal proceeds is committing this crime.

"Article 312 of the Criminal Law stipulates that knowingly concealing, transferring, purchasing, selling on behalf of, or otherwise disguising criminal proceeds and their benefits is punishable by fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years, criminal detention, or public surveillance. A fine may also be imposed, either additionally or solely. In serious circumstances, the sentence is a fixed-term imprisonment of not less than three years but not more than seven years, along with a fine. As for such behavior, the severity depends on the quantity of stolen goods sold. The more sold, the more severe the circumstances."

"My friend... is he also going to prison?" Niu Huan finally couldn't help but ask after honestly answering the questions. From his responses, he believed his friend's prospects were grim. Moreover, during this time, he reflected on the root cause of his predicament. The reason he had fallen to his current state was entirely because of this car owner! If this car owner hadn't called the police, the police would never have known about him, and he would never have faced imprisonment.

Qin Mu... I should have thought of it earlier... He sighed deeply, his face full of frustration and resentment. It was only in hindsight that he realized. When he first received the repair order, he saw the car owner's name and felt it was familiar. But, blinded by profit, he hadn't thought much about it at the time, assuming it was just a common name. Who could have guessed that this Qin Mu was the same Qin Mu who had recently sued everyone with that name online! If he had known this earlier, he would never have dared to switch the parts!

「 」

「Jin City.」

In a certain repair shop, Xiang Wanbin saw the evening approaching and was about to close up and leave when he suddenly received a familiar phone call. The caller was none other than his friend Niu Huan's wife. His expression tightened, his face turning unnaturally pale.

"Hello? Sister-in-law, didn't we agree you wouldn't call unless it was urgent?"

An anxious voice came through the phone immediately, "Wanbin, something's wrong! Something big has happened!"

Xiang Wanbin's expression changed drastically upon hearing this.

Could it be... Brother Niu found out about us? he couldn't help but wonder. Thinking of this, he was already prepared to flee.

"No, your Brother Niu has been arrested by the police! He was caught at the company today... I... I don't know what to do now, so I could only call you..." A frail, crying voice, full of panic and anxiety, came through the phone.

"Arrested by the police?" Xiang Wanbin swallowed hard. The weight that had been pressing on his heart suddenly lifted.

"I really don't know what happened. They just arrested him at their 4S shop, and the people there didn't give me any details." Niu Huan's wife continued, her voice extremely anxious and filled with worry, "I... I really don't know what to do. I had to call you; you're Niu Huan's best friend..."

"Sister-in-law, don't panic." Xiang Wanbin took a deep breath and comforted her, "Brother Niu is sensible, reliable, and loyal. He wouldn't commit a crime. As long as it's not a crime, there shouldn't be a big problem."

His eyes flickered slightly. He paused for a moment, then continued, "Here's what we'll do: I'll go to the police station now to see what's happening. Maybe he's just cooperating with an investigation and will be out soon."

Over the phone, he continued to offer reassurance before hanging up.

Actually, as Niu Huan's "partner," I really don't want to get involved in this mess, he thought.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.