Police have arrested a group that repeatedly stole mobile phones from drunken passengers sleeping on late-night subways and at bus transfer centers, then sold the handsets to a fence. After about four months of tracking closed-circuit television footage and conducting stakeouts, officers raided a site where the stolen goods were being traded and detained the suspects.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Subway Police Unit said on the 4th that a man in his 60s, identified as A, was sent to prosecutors in custody on theft charges on the 14th of last month, along with a man in his 40s, identified as B, on charges of acquiring stolen property. A man in his 70s, identified as C, who is accused of brokering the trade in stolen goods by introducing B to A, was referred without detention.
Police also sought an arrest warrant for C, but the court rejected it, citing his advanced age among other factors.
According to the police investigation, A is accused of roaming subway stations and bus transfer centers late at night, targeting passengers who had fallen asleep after drinking and repeatedly stealing their phones. A had committed pickpocketing offenses in the past, and the latest crimes were carried out during a period in which he was subject to repeat-offender penalties, investigators found.
The stolen phones were disposed of through a network for trafficking stolen goods. A was connected to B, a dealer in stolen goods, through C, a broker, and then handed over the stolen phones to B for money, police determined. Police also received intelligence and investigated indications that such phones were bought as stolen goods and then disposed of overseas.
The investigation began with information provided by a pickpocket arrested in a separate case in May. At the time, police obtained intelligence that habitual pickpockets were operating on the subway and that dealers were buying the stolen phones and disposing of them overseas.
Police then spent about four months analyzing CCTV footage to trace movements and carrying out stakeouts. On the 8th of last month, they raided a site where A and others were trading phones and arrested them in the act.
Nine phones identified as stolen goods were found at the scene and all were seized. Police returned four of them, whose owners had been identified, to the victims.
Min Kyung-wook, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Subway Police Unit, said the unit will not stop at simply arresting thieves on the subway. "We will expand the scope of our investigations to the dealers in stolen goods who form the link to criminal proceeds, and stamp out theft crimes on the subway, including pickpocketing," the official said. Police urged passengers to be careful with their belongings when using public transportation after drinking, and not to leave a phone held in their hand if they fall asleep.
