A Man in His 60s Carrying a Weapon on Olle Trail Cuts Bamboo... "To Build a Shade Shelter"

Five Bamboo Trees Stolen from Seogwipo Resort Site
Police: "Residence Unclear, Serious Case" Arrest Made

A man in his 60s who built a shack under the coastal cliffs of Jeju Olle Trail Course 7 was arrested by the police for cutting landscaping bamboo with a weapon inside a nearby resort site.

On the 31st, the Seogwipo Police Station in Jeju announced that they had arrested a man in his 60s, identified as Mr. A, on charges of special theft. According to the police, Mr. A is suspected of stealing five landscaping bamboo stalks using a 30 cm long knife inside a resort in Hogun-dong, Seogwipo City, at around 9:11 a.m. on the 20th.

Mr. A stole bamboo within the Seogwipo resort.
Photo by Seogwipo Police Station

Earlier, at around 9:07 a.m. on the 20th, a hotel guest reported that “an elderly man is cutting bamboo with a 30 cm knife at the entrance of Oedolgae walking trail.”

Tracking the suspect’s movements, the police, who were lying in wait nearby, apprehended the suspect riding a bicycle on the street in Hogun-dong at around 7:35 p.m. on the 28th. Mr. A was arrested two days later.

It is known that Mr. A had been living in a shack built under the coastal cliffs of Olle Trail Course 7 since 2003, before the resort was constructed. The terrain is a cliff-type coastline that requires traversing steep terrain. Mr. A is also said to have used ropes to go back and forth to the shack.

According to the police investigation, Mr. A was confirmed to be a homeless person without a fixed residence. He reportedly made a living by collecting and selling paper and scrap metal from waste disposal sites.

A's hut built on a coastal cliff.
Photo by Seogwipo Police Station

Mr. A is believed to have intended to install a shade around the shack using the stolen bamboo. Living as a natural person due to personal circumstances, he testified that he washed near the coast, used nearby fresh water, and sustained himself by selling scrap metal and other items.

Considering that Mr. A carried a dangerous weapon on a path frequented by many people and committed the crime, the police judged that there was a risk of him committing crimes against unspecified others. They arrested and subsequently detained Mr. A. The police also plan to request the administrative city to demolish the shack where Mr. A has been living.

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