Police arrest homeless man scamming clothing store owners

Police apprehended a homeless man in his 50s for allegedly swindling a small clothing store owner, local media outlets reported Monday

Busan Dongnae Police said the suspect surnamed Lee committed theft and fraud on multiple accounts by presenting himself as a potential business partner.

Lee is said to be responsible for incident reports in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, and Busan’s Dongnae district from December 2014 to August 2017. Multiple clothing shop owners reported that Lee took on the appearance of a wealthy businessman and approached them with good deals on global luxury clothing goods. 

Police are investigating the three separate incidents where he allegedly stole 3.36 million won ($3,000) acting as a potential business partner for importing luxury goods.

An underwear store owner in Busan Dongnae District, aged 66, told local police that Lee scammed her on Aug. 23 by promising to buy large quantities of the functional underwear once their labels had been authenticated. Lee then reportedly fled the scene with 1.4 million won and seven pairs of underwear.

Police are looking into whether the suspect has any previous record of theft or fraud.

By Catherine Chung (cec82@heraldcorp.com)