UIJEONGBU — A habitual fraudster who tricked small business owners into handing over cash by promising large group reservations has been arrested again after committing the same crime following release from prison.
The Uijeongbu Police Station in Gyeonggi Province said on the 2nd that it had arrested a person identified only by the surname A on fraud charges for deceiving street vendors and other small business owners out of money.
Police said A is accused of taking a combined 3 million won (about $2,100) from nine small business owners in Uijeongbu between June 19 and Sept. 11. A told them that a group reservation would be placed and asked them to lend cash, promising to repay it along with the bill that evening. Investigators found that the money was obtained through claims of having only checks on hand.
Amid the economic slowdown, the victims each handed over about 100,000 won in the hope of landing a large sale, according to police. A police official said A committed the crime again whenever the money taken earlier ran out.
A was also arrested and referred to prosecutors for the same offense in August 2023, but targeted small business owners again after release, police confirmed.
Police launched an intensive investigation in July after receiving the first criminal complaint, in order to prevent further damage. After establishing the offenses through analysis of security camera footage and tracing of bank accounts, officers strengthened the case for detention by citing circumstances such as the continued offending even after they had requested an arrest warrant and up until it was issued.
"We will track down and respond firmly to those who commit crimes that threaten the livelihoods of ordinary people, including small business owners," a police official said.
