"Angry Over Unemployment," Man Sets Fire to Pile of Recycled Paper in Residential Area, Arrested After 4 Hours

Man Sets Fire to Waste Paper with Lighter and Flees

[Image source=Korean National Police Agency YouTube]

A man who set fire to a pile of waste paper and fled because of difficulties finding a job was caught by the police.

On the 20th, the official YouTube channel of the National Police Agency uploaded a video titled "Deliberately set fire to waste paper with a lighter." In the video, in a densely populated residential and commercial area in Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi Province, last January, a man identified as A was seen wandering along the street carrying a shopping bag. Then, A approached a cart filled with a pile of waste paper, looked around, and took a lighter out of his pocket.

He used the lighter to set fire to the pile of waste paper and calmly disappeared. The small flame quickly engulfed the surroundings, spreading to nearby shops and parked vehicles.

A pile of waste paper engulfed in flames due to Mr. A's crime. [Image source=Korean National Police Agency YouTube]

Fortunately, the fire was initially extinguished by the fire department that responded after receiving the report. The police, who launched an investigation, identified A and, after analyzing nearby closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage and conducting inquiries, found A's residence within four hours. The police arrested A on charges of arson of general property. Arson of general property carries no fine but is punishable by imprisonment for one to ten years. A stated that his motive for the crime was "I was angry because I could not find a job."