The Korea Herald

피터빈트

Police arrest suspect in air gun incident

By Korea Herald

Published : April 15, 2012 - 20:17

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Police on Saturday arrested a man suspected of vandalizing dozens of windows by shooting them with an air gun. They are now looking for his accomplice.

Police said they are questioning a suspect whose vehicle matches the description of one seen fleeing the scene of the latest vandalism.

Police found a black Sonata in an apartment parking lot in the northern district of Seongbuk. After checking the license plate, officers found that the vehicle was a rental car that it did not belong to any tenants in the complex

Police are investigating a series of broken windows in the affluent southern Seoul district of Gangnam, which took place last Wednesday. Police believe at least two suspects in a black sedan are responsible for breaking 16 windows in Sinsa-dong, Nonhyeon-dong and Cheongdam-dong by shooting an air gun loaded with metal pellets. The weapon has been secured by police. The shots were fired during a span of two hours, breaking 13 store windows and three vehicle windows. No injuries were reported.

The suspect did not reveal his motive, police said.

Officials are also looking into the possibility that the incidents were not isolated to just the Gangnam District.

On Tuesday, some eight store windows were also vandalized in Incheon Metropolitan City, where officials are searching for at least two suspects in a black sedan caught on surveillance footage.

The following Wednesday, two vehicles running near a ramp to the Jayu Expressway in Gyeonggi Province had their rear windows broken, presumably with metal ammunition. Police arriving on scene suspect it was related to the Gangnam incident.

Incheon and Gangnam police officials have launched a joint investigation.

By Robert Lee (robert@heraldcorp.com)