"Something Kept Moving Back and Forth"... Off-Duty Firefighter Catches Thief in the Act

Targeted a unit with an unlocked window, committed the crime while the homeowner was away
Off-duty firefighter recorded the scene and reported it to the police

A man in his twenties who broke into an apartment by climbing up the gas pipeline and stole valuables was caught thanks to a report from a firefighter who was off duty. The police have arrested the man, who has multiple prior convictions for similar offenses, and are investigating the circumstances of the crime.

A man who broke into a home through the gas pipeline and stole valuables was caught by a firefighter who was off duty. Gyeonggi-do Fire and Disaster Headquarters

According to the Siheung Police Station in Gyeonggi Province on December 2, Mr. A was arrested on charges of theft and home invasion after breaking into a first-floor unit of an apartment complex in Jeongwang-dong, Siheung City, by climbing the gas pipeline around 1:00 p.m. on November 28 and stealing jewelry worth approximately 4 million won.

At the time, Mr. A was wandering around the complex searching for a target and found a unit with an unlocked window. He committed the crime while the homeowner was away. However, Park Yongho, a fire lieutenant from Gimpo Fire Station in Gyeonggi Province who happened to be passing by, witnessed Mr. A climbing up the pipeline. Park immediately recorded the incident on his mobile phone and reported it to 112. The video clearly shows Mr. A awkwardly climbing the pipeline and squeezing himself through the window frame.

In an interview with KBS, Fire Lieutenant Park said, "I had just parked my car and was about to take a break while checking my phone when I noticed something moving back and forth in front of me. When I looked, it was that man. Luckily, my car was parked right in front of the window he entered, so I was able to record the video clearly."

During the police investigation, Mr. A stated that he committed the crime because he needed money. Taking into account his prior convictions for similar offenses, the police applied for an arrest warrant, which the court granted.

Crimes involving intrusion via gas pipelines continue to occur. In June of this year, a man in Daegu climbed the exterior gas pipeline of an apartment building to the sixth floor to target a woman he had been stalking and killed her. In November last year, a man in Daejeon was sentenced to 15 years in prison after breaking into a villa through the pipeline and sexually assaulting a neighboring woman.

To prevent similar crimes, the police are promoting a project to install thorn-covered covers on gas pipelines, focusing on areas with a high concentration of studio apartments.