Door-to-Door Salesman in His 40s Arrested for Stealing from Customer's Safe and Fleeing with Borrowed Cash

Total Damages Reach 32 Million Won
Apprehended by Police After Pursuit in Suncheon

Gwangju Bukbu Police Station exterior. Photo by Gwangju Bukbu Police Station

A man in his 40s who broke into the safe of a customer he knew and fled after borrowing cash has been arrested by the police.

On January 5, the Gwangju Bukbu Police Station announced that it had arrested a man in his 40s, identified as Mr. A, on charges of theft and fraud by borrowing.

Mr. A is accused of stealing approximately 20 million won in cash and other valuables from the safe of a woman in her 60s, identified as Ms. B, at her home in Buk-gu, Gwangju, in October last year. He allegedly used his knowledge of the house layout and the password, which he learned while selling electric heating pads and other goods, to commit the crime.

According to the police investigation, between September and December last year, Mr. A also borrowed 10 million won and 2 million won respectively from Ms. B and another acquaintance on two separate occasions, claiming he lacked funds to purchase goods, and failed to repay the amounts.

Mr. A reportedly built a close relationship with the victims by meeting them frequently before committing these crimes. It was revealed that he squandered most of the total 32 million won he obtained on entertainment expenses.

After receiving a complaint in December last year and launching a search, the police apprehended Mr. A at a lodging facility in Suncheon, South Jeolla Province. Considering that Mr. A had no fixed residence and multiple prior convictions for similar offenses, the police applied for and received an arrest warrant from the court.

The police plan to investigate Mr. A for any additional offenses before forwarding the case to the prosecution.