Picked Only Profitable 'Baekgeum' Parts from Parked Cars... 40s Man Caught After Stealing and Selling 9 Million Won in 13 Incidents

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Sang-hyun] A man in his 40s who used his experience as a vehicle mechanic to steal and sell platinum-containing parts installed under parked vehicles was caught by the police.

On the 29th, the Changwon Western Police Station in Gyeongnam announced that Mr. A was arrested and is under investigation on charges of vehicle parts theft (theft and attempted theft).

According to the police, Mr. A is accused of stealing an exhaust gas purification device worth about 1 million won from under an NF Sonata vehicle parked in a public parking lot in Dong-eup, Uichang-gu, Changwon City, around midnight on August 1st.

Mr. A carried portable vehicle lift equipment for the crime. Using a similar method, he stole and sold vehicle parts worth a total of 9 million won in 13 incidents until August 16th.

The vehicle owners noticed excessive noise when starting their cars, found it strange, and upon having their vehicles inspected, discovered the damage and reported it to the police.

The police tracked Mr. A’s movements through inquiries around the crime scenes and CCTV footage. Around 12:25 a.m. on the 25th, they caught Mr. A attempting another theft at a parking lot in Dong-eup after a stakeout.

Investigation revealed that Mr. A, having worked at a vehicle repair shop in the past, knew that the exhaust gas purification devices attached under vehicles contained platinum and were expensive parts, making them targets for theft.

A police official stated, “Mr. A testified that he committed the crimes due to financial difficulties,” and added, “We are investigating additional offenses.”

They also said, “We are investigating those who purchased the stolen parts on charges of receiving stolen goods.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.