Police said Tuesday they arrested 46 suspects who targeted inebriated people in Seoul’s popular nightlife spot of Hongdae over an eight-month crackdown.
Eleven of the 46 were taken into custody with the remaining 35 booked without detention as part of the effort that began in January.
(Yonhap)
So far this year, 10 suspects stand accused of having stolen from people who had passed out by pretending to help them get up. Nineteen taxi drivers and two designated drivers have been caught selling smartphones they had stolen from passengers.
The police agency traced and retrieved 143 stolen phones collectively worth about 140 million won ($124,000). Ninety-one of those phones have so far been returned to the victims.
Most of the victims were in their early or mid 20s, drunk and wandering around Hongdae late at night, according to police.
By Kim Jee-min (jeeminkim@heraldcorp.com)
