A Vehicle Theft Incident Occurred Using 'Free Car Wash' as Bait on Daangn Market

Victims who left their vehicles after seeing a 'Free Car Wash' post on Daangn Market had their cars stolen.

On the 9th, the Hwaseong Dongtan Police Station in Gyeonggi Province reported that on the 8th, they received several reports stating, "I handed my car over after seeing a 'Free Car Wash' post on the second-hand trading platform Daangn Market, but it was stolen."

According to the police, three vehicle theft incidents were reported within the local area and nearby regions on the 8th. Victims claimed they contacted the poster after seeing a post titled 'We offer free car washing' on Daangn Market.

The unidentified poster allegedly deceived victims by claiming to have started a new mobile car wash business and was running a free car wash event for promotional purposes.

The method of operation was cunning. The perpetrator coordinated schedules with the victims and left messages saying, "Just leave the car key inside the car," and "If you like the service, please keep coming back." The victims left their cars at the agreed location in the early hours of the 8th, but later confirmed their vehicles had disappeared and reported it to the police.

The police found all three stolen vehicles that afternoon at a junkyard in Hamam, Gyeongnam.

At the scene, a person suspected of being an accomplice was found dismantling the vehicles, and the police urgently arrested him on charges of special theft.

However, the police believe that the arrested individual is likely not the main culprit who posted on Daangn Market, but rather an accomplice who was receiving the stolen goods. It is expected to take more time to understand the full circumstances of the case.

The police are investigating the incident based on the victims' statements and plan to trace back the post to identify the poster.

Currently, the post has been deleted from Daangn Market.

A police official stated, "Posts claiming to offer free car washes appear frequently on Daangn Market, and even if they are promoted as free services for business purposes, if there are no conditions attached, it is worth being suspicious." They added, "We will resolve this incident as quickly as possible."

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