Zhang Jun (1966-2001)
Zhang Jun was a Chinese robber/serial killer who, in a 7 year spree, robbed 22 stores in Chongqing, Hunan, Hubei, Yunnan and Guanghxi, killing 28 people and wounding 23. It is believed the total amount stolen was 5.36 million yuan (£613,000). Born in 1966 to a poor family, the youngest of 7 brothers, Zhang Jun dropped out of school in his first year of high school. In 1989 he was arrested and sentenced to reformation through labour. On December 22, 1995, Zhang robbed the Chongqing Friendship store, killing one person and stealing jewellery worth 455,000 yuan (£52,000). Almost a year later, Zhang robbed Shanghai’s first department store, stealing jewellery worth over 630,000 yuan (£72,000). In November 1997 Zhang robbed Changsha Friendship Mall, killing 2 people and stealing jewellery worth 1.372 million yuan (£150,600). His next attack was on December 20, 1998, where he raided a public security checkpoint killing 2 people. 2 weeks later, Zhang robbed the jewellery cabinet of Wuhan Square, killing one person and stealing 30,000 yuan (£3,400) and 2.634 million yuan’s worth of gold jewellery (worth approximately £300,000). On August 15, 2000, Zhang Jun daringly robbed the president of the Agricultural Bank of Anxiang County, killing 2 people and stealing 16,000 yuan (around £1,800). Less than 3 weeks later, he robbed a cash truck in Changde, killing 7 people, stealing 2 small submachine guns and 20 bullets.
Prior to this crime spree, in 1993, Zhang Jun and his accomplice Liu Baogang went to Anxiang County to commit a robbery. The robbery was unsuccessful - Zhang accidentially injured Liu. In order to evade capture, Zhang killed Liu with a hammer and disposed of his body. After that he couldn’t escape to Guangxi and killed a Hubei businessman before the Spring Festival. Shortly after, he met a mistress in Guangxi and borrowed money from her to buy a gun. He lured 2 escorts to a mountain where he killed them both; he wanted to practice committing murders quickly. On September 19, 2000, Chongqing Police issued a warrant for the arrest of Zhang Jun. It is reported that he had a grenade on him at the time. At trial, on April 14, 2001, Zhang Jun was sentenced to death by the First Intermediate People’s Court of Chongqing for intentional homicide and robbery, and deprived of political rights for life. He was executed in Chongqing on May 20, 2001.
