Thief arrested after allegedly extorting drunk victims

A man suspected of stealing money from drunk people by using their fingerprints to unlock their phones has been apprehended, police said Thursday.

The suspect in his 30s is accused of luring inebriated people into secluded areas without surveillance cameras to extort a total of 55 million won ($42,184) in the Gangnam area. Over 11 instances of the crime were reported from July 2022 until last month. He is also suspected of blackmailing the victims who have no recollection of the event afterwards, by lying that they tripped his pregnant wife.

The man is being charged with fraud with the use of a computer, larceny, robbery and extortion.

He is reported to have battered a drunk man to the ground and transferred 10 million won ($7,685) from the victim to his bank account on June 27 at 2 a.m.

The police investigating the case spotted the suspect in the act via surveillance footage and issued a search. The police arrested the man on June 30.

"An investigation into other potential crimes (committed by the man) is underway, so anyone who has experienced something similar should file a report to the police. As intoxicated people are the targets of such crimes, police will increase night patrols," the police said.