One Foreigner Robber at Pyeongtaek Currency Exchange Already Fled Abroad... About 4 Hours After the Crime

by Kong Byeongseon

Published 31 Aug.2023 20:00(KST)

On the 30th, it was confirmed that one of the two foreign robbers who robbed a currency exchange office in Pyeongtaek-si, Gyeonggi Province, had already fled overseas.

On the 30th, an incident occurred at a currency exchange office in Pyeongtaek-si, Gyeonggi-do, where two foreign men threatened an employee and fled with cash. The police are currently pursuing the suspects. The photo shows the suspects captured on CCTV footage after the crime. [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 31st, the Pyeongtaek Police in Gyeonggi announced that one of the two Tajikistan nationals, A (34), who had been under pursuit since the previous day, left for Uzbekistan through Incheon Airport at around 4:35 PM on the day of the crime, the 30th. This means he left the country just 4 hours and 40 minutes after committing the crime. The other suspect, B (34), was urgently arrested by the police at Incheon Airport at around 1:40 AM while waiting to depart that day.

They are accused of robbing $8,000 (approximately 10 million KRW) in cash from a currency exchange office in Sinjang-dong, Pyeongtaek-si, at around 11:50 AM the previous day. They pretended to exchange currency, causing a female employee in her 60s to open the safe, then threatened her with a replica gun and took the cash.

There are indications that the crime was premeditated. They used a silver SUV both when arriving at and fleeing from the crime scene, which was identified as a vehicle stolen in the Incheon area on the 28th. Additionally, they abandoned this vehicle about 20 km away from the crime scene and continued their escape using another hidden vehicle. A replica gun was found inside the initially abandoned vehicle.

Three accomplices of the same nationality who helped them escape were arrested at Incheon Airport at around 7:30 AM on the same day on charges of aiding fugitives. It was investigated that they transported A and others to the airport and assisted with the boarding procedures.

The police are investigating the exact motive for the crime with the arrested B and others, but B is reportedly partially denying the charges, claiming he did not directly commit the crime.