Climbed on Air Conditioner Outdoor Unit to Enter Through Window
"Moved Residence but Still Feeling Uneasy"
A man who repeatedly broke into a female college student's one-room apartment where she lived alone and stole cosmetics and beverages was caught by the police.
On the 10th, the Daejeon Dongbu Police Station announced that they had arrested and were investigating Mr. A on charges of theft and trespassing. Mr. A is suspected of breaking into the one-room apartment of a 22-year-old female college student, Ms. B, in Dong-gu, Daejeon, through a window three times at the end of last month and stealing items such as beverages and lip balm.
According to Yonhap News, on the afternoon of the 7th of last month, Ms. B noticed a 'PC KakaoTalk' notification on her smartphone while she was away from home. This indicated that someone had accessed the KakaoTalk messenger on the computer at her house.
Two weeks later, on the afternoon of the 21st, the same phenomenon occurred again. A few hours after returning home, Ms. B was shocked to find the toilet seat cover in the bathroom raised, something she never did except when cleaning. Items such as beverages and cosmetics had disappeared from the empty house, and the washing machine she had started had its power suddenly cut off midway.
As suspicious incidents continued, Ms. B checked nearby closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage, which revealed a shocking scene. Mr. A, wearing a mask, was caught on camera using the outdoor air conditioner unit next to the one-room apartment as a stepping stone to climb through the window into the house.
The footage even showed Mr. A urinating in front of Ms. B’s apartment window on the afternoon of the 7th.
After analyzing the CCTV footage and obtaining several search warrants, the police identified Mr. A by analyzing his movements and card transaction records.
Police investigations revealed that Mr. A had no prior acquaintance with Ms. B. Mr. A, a company employee, was found to have broken into Ms. B’s home three times from last month to early this month, stealing beverages and lip balm.
Ms. B told Yonhap News, "When I checked the time of the break-ins, it was just one to two minutes after I left the house," adding, "It’s very distressing to think that someone might have been constantly watching me."
The police plan to apply for an arrest warrant after questioning Mr. A in detail about his motives, stalking, and any additional break-ins. A police official stated, "We will strengthen patrols in the nearby area and pay close attention to victim protection measures, including providing smartwatches."
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