Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jondepoer]

Today an unknown person smashed the handle of my apartment door and used some sort of tool to pop out the security lock (which wasn't even locked). My fianc� was out getting dinner at around 5:30pm, and arrived home to find the door ajar, the cat terrified, and the apartment still warm - meaning it had happened only a short time ago. She immediately called the police, and they arrived within 5 minutes. They brought 3-4 officers including a CSI unit which took fingerprints and investigated for about 2 hours. They found a set of finger and footprints that they are investigating, and some suspicious CCTV footage. They are still investigating and I hope to hear back soon.

The strange part is that nothing obvious was stolen. Drawers were rummaged through, jewelry was tossed around, but nothing was missing, including electronics, passports, etc. We don't keep cash in the house.

One theory is that my fianc� caught the perp in the act when she got home. She didn't realize that the door was broken until she tried to shut it, and didn't fully investigate the scene. She quickly ran to our real estate agent's office next door where the police, possibly leaving him or her time to escape.

So we really don't know what this individual was after, or why we were targeted. We are on the first floor, and our locks didn't appear too secure I suppose (they have been replaced with new much stronger ones). Has anyone experienced a similar incident? I'd be interested to hear how it turned out. My main fear is that the person will attempt to return - has anyone been hit multiple times?

All in all, a pretty traumatizing day. Makes me really wonder whether Korea is as safe as everyone says. Again, I'm interested in hearing your experiences and theories, so fire away!

[EZE]

I have known two different foreign teachers whose apartments were broken into and robbed while they were at work. However, I haven't heard of any home invasions, which is a criminal breaking into a person's home while the resident is there. Fortunately, my home has never been targeted in Korea and I have never been robbed in Korea, except by Wonderland.

My guess is it was planned in advance by people who knew where you live and what you and your fiance look like. It was likely executed by two or more people. I imagine one person was outside of your building, acting as a lookout. When he or she saw your girlfriend returning home, they alerted the criminal in your apartment to leave, which is why the criminal had left your apartment without taking anything and the apartment was still warm despite your door being open. He was probably heading down the stairway when your fiance was riding up in the elevator.

The worst part about this situation in Korea is how you can't really legally defend yourself if a criminal is in your apartment. If you stab a home invader in defense, you may want to seriously consider going to the airport straightaway and taking the first flight out of Korea.

[12ax7]

[PatrickGHBusan]

[PatrickGHBusan]

[PatrickGHBusan]

OP, you changed the locks and that will take care of things. You could reinforce your windows (if they are accessible) with lock bars.

I also suggest you talk to a cop or lawyer if you want precise information on what your options are should this happen again and on what to do if you catch a thief in your home.

[schwa]

Very similar experience a couple years ago. Nothing more ever came of it. Heres what I wrote on Daves:

Posted: Sat Oct 23, 2010 12:26 pm Post subject: curious b&e Reply with quote Edit/Delete this post Report Post
I came home from an overnight biz trip this week to find my apartment busted in to. They'd maybe used a tire iron to pry back a strong metal flange on my door & jimmied the lock. Expecting the worst, I stepped inside.

Computer & tv, intact. Cats, okay. The intruders had evidently gone through every drawer & cupboard as contents were strewn on the floor. I called the cops.

Sokcho police, awesome! First guy on the phone spoke no english but a competent speaker phoned me back 5 minutes later. In 10 minutes there were 4 policemen here (including the chief). Then the CSI crew showed up (no kidding!) who proceeded to check every door knob for prints & took countless photos & actually lifted a shoeprint from my floor.

I went to the police station & filed a statement, everyone courteous & apologetic that this had happened.

Heres the curious part. Nothing was missing! (Except for a few packets of ginseng drink & they didnt even take all of them). They didnt take $600 US cash from a drawer they ransacked. They took a gold earring from a box but I found it later on the floor of another room.

I'm only out the cost of a new lock, & the locksmith commented that the entry job was professional, not kids.

So what do you figure went on? I'm mystified.

[jondepoer]

Wow, schwa! Your story sounds so similar to mine! Both the forced entry and the lack of stolen articles. I mean, why work so hard to get in. and then leave empty-handed? Did you have any further trouble, and were the police able to give you any kind of explanation?

Thanks to others for chiming in with theories. Actually I had already posited that the job was a team - with somebody keeping lookout. Seems quite likely.

Just for the mystery junkies out there, there is one further tantalizing detail that I didn't mention before:

There were a pair of rosary beads belonged to my grandmother perfectly laid out on the bed. The guy took them out of my fiance's jewelry box, and put them there.

Weird, right?

[jvalmer]

Fascinating... NK spies looking for defectors? Maybe they realized you were a foreigner and decided to leave everything alone? Maybe gangsters looking for drugs or money from a delinquent customer?

[Lucas]

[12ax7]

[Lucas]

[PRagic]

This has been going on for some time, at least over the 20 years I've been here. HBC and the Itaewon area are targeted because of the high number of foreigners there.

They're usually after cash and jewelry, mostly cash. Word got out that foreigners, especially those working here illegally, don't have bank accounts and therefore keep a lot of cash around the house. The thinking was also that if the foreigner is illegal, they won't go to the police to report a theft.

Invest in good locks and deadbolts. Can't hurt. Keep all windows locked, and put a piece of wood in the track so that even if unlocked, they can't be slid open.

We had a guy try to break into our place way back when, and we were there. Tried chasing him down, but lost him in some back alleys. Didn't make it in, and we reported it. The police made the landlord invest in window bars and better window and door locks. The owner was helpful and apologetic and no harm was done. Still, gives you the creeps. Had I gotten ahold of the guy, I would have done my best to put him in the hospital.

[Mix1]

[joeteacher]