"Always Fold Side Mirrors"…Teen Habitually Stealing from Cars with Open Doors

by Kim Hyunjeong2

Published 02 Sep.2023 20:02(KST)

Two Teenagers Commit 20 Thefts in Sejong City Apartments
Similar Crimes Also Occur in Jeonju and Other Areas

Two teenagers were caught by the police after repeatedly stealing from cars with unfolded side mirrors while roaming the underground parking lots of apartments in Sejong City.

According to a report by Yonhap News on the 2nd, the Sejong Southern Police Station is investigating two teenagers, including a boy identified as A, on charges of special theft for entering parked cars and stealing valuables.

They are suspected of entering cars with unlocked doors in underground parking lots of apartments in Sejong between the 4th and 27th of last month during early morning hours, stealing valuables worth approximately 7 million won in about 20 incidents.

The photo is not related to the specific content of the article [Image source=Pixabay]

A and the other suspect targeted cars parked with their side mirrors unfolded. Among vehicles equipped with the 'Lock Folding' feature, which automatically folds side mirrors when the doors are locked, they approached cars with unfolded side mirrors, assuming that the doors were likely unlocked.

Recently, crimes involving theft from vehicles with unfolded side mirrors have been on the rise.

On the 25th of last month, the Jeonju Wansan Police Station in Jeonbuk arrested four suspects, including a teenager identified as B, on charges of habitual special theft for repeatedly stealing valuables from unlocked cars around Jeonju.

B and the others are suspected of stealing cash, credit cards, and other valuables worth about 30 million won from parked cars in apartments and other locations around Jeonju since June, in over 50 incidents. Investigations revealed that they targeted vehicles with unfolded side mirrors during times with few people around.

Additionally, on the 8th of last month, C (51) was sentenced to 1 year and 6 months in prison for stealing from cars 10 times in an underground parking lot of an apartment in Wonju, Gangwon Province. C also admitted to targeting vehicles with unfolded side mirrors.