Gang Arrested for Nationwide 'Theft Tour' Targeting Large Supermarkets

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Jin-hyung] Thieves who stole small home appliances from large supermarkets and sold them online have been caught by the police.

On the 25th, the Gwangju Gwangsan Police Station announced that they arrested A (in his 20s) on charges of special theft and booked five others involved in the crime without detention.

A and others are accused of stealing home appliances worth about 25 million won in total over 23 incidents at large supermarkets in Gwangju, as well as Jeonbuk, Jeonnam, and Daejeon, from the end of last year until recently.

They removed electronic anti-theft tags and hid the stolen items under thick coats to carry them out of the stores. They mainly targeted small but relatively expensive products.

They converted the stolen goods into cash by selling them through person-to-person secondhand transactions and used the money for living expenses or entertainment.

The police applied for an arrest warrant because A’s residence was unstable, and the court issued the warrant. They are conducting additional investigations, believing there may be more offenses.