'New Dawn Thief' Targets Unmanned Stores, Captured After 11 Burglary Acts Over 5 Days

A man in his 20s, who frequently committed thefts at unmanned stores by targeting late-night and early-morning hours with no customers around, has been apprehended by the police.

On the 26th, the Gimhae Southern Police Department in Gyeongsangnam-do announced that they had sent a man in his 20s, referred to as A, to the prosecution under suspicion of theft.

A is accused of stealing cash and tablet PCs worth approximately 1.3 million won over a total of 11 incidents between the 11th and 15th of this month, hitting unmanned establishments such as ice cream shops and internet cafes in the Gimhae area.

The method of operation was clever.

A specifically took advantage of the late-night and early-morning hours when there were no guests, breaking into unmanned stores and stealing cash by twisting the cash input slots of safes and kiosks using scissors.

Tracked via CCTV Analysis… Captured on Apartment Rooftop Emergency Staircase

The police tracked A's movements through closed-circuit television (CCTV) analysis and discovered him sleeping on the emergency staircase of an apartment rooftop in Gimhae on the 16th, leading to his arrest.

Upon investigation, it was revealed that A committed the crimes to provide for his living expenses without a stable residence.

Meanwhile, according to the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency, the number of unmanned stores in the Gyeongnam area has increased annually, reaching 1,313 as of last year.

The number of theft crimes that occurred in unmanned stores in the province last year totaled 440.

A police official stated, "Unmanned stores are vulnerable to crimes as there are no employees or surveillance." They advised, "Fortify cash input slots of safes and kiosks with metal plates to prevent damage from scissors or screwdrivers, and avoid keeping cash inside the store by shortening the cash collection cycle."

Image source: A man in his 20s who stole from unmanned stores in Gimhae has been sent to prosecution on charges of theft. The photo shows him stealing cash from a cash box at an unmanned PC cafe in Gimhae. / Photo provided by Gyeongnam Police Agency, illustrative material for understanding the article / gettyimagesbank