Targeting Security Lapses at Dawn, Stole Copper Pipes Worth 10 Million Won
Sold to Scrap Dealer... Police Investigating Additional Crimes and Stolen Goods
Repeat Offenders Caught at Lodging Facility During Probation Period
Two men in their 50s who targeted a construction site in the early morning hours to obtain living expenses have been apprehended by the police.
On April 28, the Gwangju Bukbu Police Station announced that it had arrested and detained two men in their 50s, identified as A and B, on charges of theft under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes.
The two are accused of breaking into a newly constructed commercial building site in Yongdu-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju, at around 5:30 a.m. on April 12 and stealing copper air conditioner pipes worth approximately 10 million won by cutting them.
Taking advantage of lax security, they cut the copper pipes, placed them in sacks, and fled the scene. It was revealed that they committed the crime to cover living expenses, as they had no stable jobs or fixed residences. The stolen copper pipes were sold to a nearby scrap metal dealer.
After tracking them through closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage, the police arrested the two suspects on April 25 at a lodging facility in Jungheung-dong, Buk-gu. A police official explained, "Recently, copper pipes have become a target for theft due to rising raw material prices," and added, "We applied for arrest warrants considering that the suspects were repeat offenders during their probation period."
The police are investigating whether there are additional crimes, and are also looking into the scrap metal dealer who purchased the copper pipes on suspicion of receiving stolen goods.
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