Only Targeted Cars with Side Mirrors Extended... Surge in Vehicle Break-ins at Airport Parking Lot

"Check Vehicle Lock When Parking"

A vehicle with its side mirrors unfolded is targeted for theft in the long-term parking lot of Incheon Airport Terminal 1. [Image source: Provided by Incheon Police Agency]

Crimes targeting cars with unfolded side mirrors are on the rise.

On the 3rd, Yonhap News reported that the Incheon International Airport Police Unit arrested a man in his 40s, Mr. A, on theft charges. Mr. A is accused of secretly entering unlocked vehicles from November last year until recently and stealing cash and gift certificates worth approximately 1.96 million won. He specifically targeted situations where car owners, busy preparing for departure at the airport parking lot, often left their cars unlocked.

Although there were more valuables inside the cars, Mr. A deliberately stole only small amounts to avoid detection. To evade tracking, he used the airport railroad but instead of using a transportation card, he closely followed other passengers to enter through the gate for disabled persons, demonstrating meticulous planning in his crimes.

Mr. A is known to have more than 10 prior convictions, including vehicle theft, and reportedly committed the crimes again just seven months after being released. During police questioning, he stated that he needed money for living expenses. The police believe there may be more victims and are continuing their investigation while planning to increase patrols in airport parking lots.

Earlier, in May last year, another man in his 40s, Mr. B, who stole valuables worth tens of millions of won while roaming the parking lots of Incheon Airport and Gimpo Airport, was also caught by the police. A police official urged, "When using airport parking lots, please make sure to lock your car doors and avoid leaving valuables inside the car as much as possible."

Meanwhile, in Incheon, an incident occurred where a trio of thieves stole a vehicle parked on the road and fled, prompting the police to pursue them. It is presumed that these thieves also recognized that the car doors were unlocked by noticing the unfolded side mirrors before committing the crime. The police found the stolen vehicle near a nearby elementary school, but it had scratches all over and the keys were missing.

The police are examining connections to similar cases and are tracking three suspects based on closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage.

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