Naturalized Foreign Male Detained for Buying and Reselling Stolen Mobile Phones

A naturalized foreigner involved in fencing was arrested for repeatedly purchasing stolen and lost mobile phones and reselling them for profit.

On the 21st, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Subway Police Unit urgently arrested and detained Mr. A on the 12th at an officetel located in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on charges of habitually purchasing stolen and lost mobile phones (fencing acquisition charges). Stolen goods refer to property owned by others obtained through illegal acts such as theft or robbery.

Seized items including stolen mobile phones and cash confiscated from Mr. A's residence / Photo by Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Subway Police Unit

After arresting Mr. A, the police searched his residence and urgently seized 34 stolen mobile phones hidden under the kitchen sink, as well as 68.05 million won in cash hidden separately in the ceiling, refrigerator shelves, and electric rice cooker.

According to the police, Mr. A is suspected of purchasing stolen and lost mobile phones for between 200,000 won and 1,000,000 won over approximately eight months starting from October last year, and reselling them to foreign fences in traditional markets in Seoul for profit. It was revealed that Mr. A earned a profit of about 50,000 to 70,000 won per phone.

The police confirmed that most of the mobile phones Mr. A dealt with were stolen or lost in the subway.

Mr. A was also found to have used public phones and burner phones to contact thieves and fences to evade police tracking. Additionally, Mr. A conducted transactions with them in CCTV blind spots such as staircases of residential buildings and inside vehicles, and changed burner phones monthly to prepare for police investigations.

The police identified Mr. A while investigating thieves and fences arrested in October last year. They also obtained additional investigation leads on Mr. A during the investigation of a Vietnamese fencing ringleader arrested in March and thieves and their accomplices arrested in April.

Subsequently, based on the analysis of the locations of public phones used by Mr. A and over 300 CCTV cameras, the police arrested Mr. A after five days of stakeout.

The police stated, "We will continue investigating the fences who handed over stolen mobile phones to Mr. A," and added, "We will devote all investigative resources to thoroughly track down and arrest mobile phone theft crimes in the subway."