"Flying Squirrel" Burglar Who Climbed Mountains to Break Into Luxury Homes Steals 500 Million Won

Accessed Through Mountain Trails, Entered via Gas Pipes
Evaded Police Pursuit for Four Years, Committed About 30 Burglaries

A so-called "flying squirrel" burglar, who targeted and broke into only luxury homes in the Seoul metropolitan area for three years, has been caught by the police. According to reports, the police conducted a meticulous investigation, reviewing footage from over 900 closed-circuit (CC)TV cameras.

According to Yonhap News and other sources, the Yongin Dongbu Police Station in Gyeonggi Province announced on the 20th that it had arrested a man in his 50s, identified as A, on charges of habitual theft under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes. In addition, the police have booked a man in his 60s, identified as B, on charges of special theft for allegedly assisting A in his crimes, and are currently investigating.

A entering through the gas pipe. Yongin Eastern Police Station, Gyeonggi Province

From September 2022 until recently, A is accused of sneaking into townhouses and luxury detached homes in the Seoul metropolitan area, including Yongin, Gwangju, Seongnam, Uiwang, Gwacheon, Yangpyeong, and Icheon, during late-night hours. He allegedly committed theft around 30 times, stealing cash and valuables worth over 500 million won. B is accused of driving A close to the crime locations at his request.

Even under police pursuit, A demonstrated meticulous planning and managed to evade detection for years. When selecting targets, he always chose locations adjacent to mountain areas. Unlike urban areas, surroundings near mountains have few CCTV cameras, making it difficult to monitor entry and escape routes. This allowed him to thoroughly conceal his movements.

A would first ride in B's car, get out at a hiking trail, and then cross over the mountain to approach the crime scene. After confirming that no one was present, he would put on a mask and enter the home by climbing up the gas pipe. Immediately after entering, he wore shoe covers to hide his footprints and meticulously erased traces by spraying water on the spot where he first stepped.

After the burglary, he would climb back up the mountain, change into hiking clothes, and then meet B at a completely different location—not at the hiking trail where they initially separated—to flee by car. Due to these methods, A managed to evade capture by police for as long as four years and reportedly earned the nickname "flying squirrel" from the dedicated investigation team.

When a series of similar incidents occurred, the Yongin Dongbu Police Station formed a dedicated team of 19 members on March 12 to investigate. The police analyzed footage from over 900 CCTV cameras in the vicinity of the crime scenes and ultimately apprehended A in North Chungcheong Province on April 16.

During the investigation, the police discovered that A had also committed crimes in areas outside eastern Yongin.

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