The police response to a copper wire theft that occurred at a building in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, on September 10 has sparked controversy.
The suspect broke the lock to enter the building, cutting and taking away all the wires connected to electrical outlets, fluorescent lights, TVs, and air conditioners.
Copper pipes on the ceiling, a smartwatch, and wireless earphones also disappeared, and the victim estimates that it will cost a total of 3.5 million won to reinstall the wires and restore the walls and ceilings.
With thefts targeting electrical wires on the rise recently due to soaring copper prices, it is suspected that this crime was committed for the same reason, but the problem lay in the police response.
[Informant : (After the initial report) Two police officers came, but since it was so dark, they just took pictures and left. So when I asked if they weren't going to take fingerprints, they said the detectives would handle it. When I asked the detective if they weren't going to take fingerprints, you can just tell by looking at them... There was no will to actively catch the culprit. They said there is a security CCTV nearby, but since it's a rotating type, they don't know if it will capture anything. It's already been nearly a month, and with a desperate heart, I looked around the house myself and found a CCTV at a hardware store. It captures right in front of my house. I found it in just an hour...]
An expert pointed out that a shortage of investigative personnel is the root cause.
[Lee Kyung-min / Lawyer : To be cautious, the police have taken over all investigative powers now. Because there are now too many cases, a problem with manpower is bound to arise. So now it is truly cautious. You must not suffer damage from crimes like this. Because it is too much to expect the police to secure this on their own, given their lack of capacity. It seems things have reached a point where people really have to prevent crimes themselves.]
When asked for their stance, the police explained that fingerprint collection was impossible because the scene was messy and it was difficult to identify specific objects that had been touched.
They also acknowledged that the investigation was slow due to being handled alongside major cases, but stated that they are currently securing nearby CCTV footage to continue the investigation.
If the suspect is apprehended, charges such as theft, trespassing on a building, and property damage may be applied, and if habitualness is recognized, a lengthy prison sentence could be handed down.
(Planned by Lee Seyoung | Video edited by Lee Da-in | Footage source: News Hunters | Produced by SBS Digital News)
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