Man in His Twenties Arrested for Stealing Cars Using "Free Car Wash" Offer as Bait

A man in his twenties was arrested by the police after posting an offer on a used goods trading platform to wash cars for free as bait, then stealing vehicles handed over by their owners.

Gwangju Nambu Police Station. Yonhap News

According to Yonhap News and other sources, the Gwangju Nambu Police Station announced on July 10 that it had detained a man in his twenties, identified as Mr. A, on charges of fraud and theft. Mr. A is accused of stealing and fleeing with three vehicles, including a Mercedes-Benz, on three separate occasions between May 12 and May 14 in the Seo-gu, Nam-gu, and Buk-gu districts of Gwangju.

Mr. A posted a false promotional message on a used goods trading platform, claiming, "If you write a review, I will wash your car for free." When contacted by victims, he lured them by instructing them to park their cars at a specific location and leave the keys, promising to return the vehicles after washing them, but instead stole the cars.

Mr. A attempted to sell the stolen vehicles to used car dealers. However, a dealer became suspicious because the cars were being offered for several million won below market value and reported the matter to the police, leading to Mr. A's arrest. After two months of tracking and investigation, the police apprehended Mr. A at his residence in Gwangju on July 8.

During the process, the delivery drivers who transported the stolen vehicles were found to have conducted legitimate transactions through a delivery application (app). The police determined that these drivers had no involvement in Mr. A's crimes and were not complicit in the offenses.

The police investigation revealed that Mr. A had purchased accounts for the used goods trading platform through social networking services (SNS) and used them to post bait messages. By buying proxy accounts for amounts ranging from 50,000 won to 150,000 won, Mr. A was able to conceal his identity and evade law enforcement.

Meanwhile, a new type of scam involving the theft of vehicles under the pretense of "free car washes" or "free diagnostic services" has been occurring nationwide, including in the Seoul metropolitan area, since May. The police have urged the public to be cautious of similar tactics and advised against handing over car keys to strangers.