OK, so you’re sitting in some bank in Namdaemun, a large bag of money with you.
Next to you sits a foreigner. He notes that you’ve dropped some money.
You go to pick it up, but while you’re distracted, the foreigner’s buddies comes and takes your bag of money. When you finally notice, it’s too late.
You are now out 60 million won and 10 million Japanese yen.
On a positive note, the bank camera gets it all on tape.
Judging from the planning involved, police think they’ve got a professional gang of pickpockets on their hands.
13 Comments
Poor guy but a fool and his money…
If I was carrying that kind of cake, I don’t think I would be leaving it in a bag next to me on a chair. I am pretty certain that it would be secure in my arms at all times.
Hopefully the (keystone) cops will nab them soon.
Especially if it’s Namdaemun and there’s a foreigner sitting next to me.
Kinda makes you wonder what the guy was doing sitting around with $160k (more or less - too lazy to check exchange rates) in cash…
Anyhow, these bandits need to be caught, and quickly. If for nothing else than to stem the inevitable ‘foreigner crime wave’ stories from appearing.
Here we go!! YEEE HAAA!!!
What kind of idiot carries around that much money in cash? That’s just ridiculously stupid.
An idiot from a country where it has traditionally been safe to walk around with large amounts of cash.
Oh, please. There are signs at the banks near my home to beware of dudes on scooters, who apparently like to drive by people as they leave the bank, snatch their bags (hopefully full of money), then drive off. Those signs have been there for years. None of those scooter drivers are foreigners (at least that I know of).
Korea may be safer in most ways than many other countries, but if you cannot afford to lose something, it only makes sense to be more careful.
Especially if it’s Namdaemun and there’s a foreigner sitting next to me.
Does that include blue-eyed foreigners like you and me, or are we just talking about the nasty brown-skinned ones?
Seriously though, as much as I like the relative safety of Korea and think Koreans are generally an honest bunch, there are no shortage of local 도둑. I’ve had 2 bikes nicked, my sister had her bag snatched and my friend was sucker punched for his wallet in a mini-stop.
The only reason this gets play is because the thieves were…well, we all know the story.
I haven’t managed to see the video, but it actually sounds very suspicious to me. 160k just left on the ground and thieves just happen to be on the spot at the right time?
“Especially if it’s Namdaemun and there’s a foreigner sitting next to me.”
Excellent advice! Good job fanning the flames.
“I haven’t managed to see the video, but it actually sounds very suspicious to me. 160k just left on the ground and thieves just happen to be on the spot at the right time?”
Yes, you’re right, you haven’t watched the video but you are sure the foreigner is getting railroaded.
No, I’m not “sure” the foreigner is getting railroaded; I’m suggesting they may have been working with the bank employee “victim”. Get it?
Many Koreans, and indeed Korean banks, seem very lax about leaving bags full of money (and other stuff) unattended.
A month back when I had a minor fiasco in regards to getting a substantial amount of cash from my Australian credit card (which I commented here about at the time), I was taken to a seat behind the tellers, given a coffee and told to wait whilst they made some calls in regards to my transaction. I’m just sipping my coffee, looking around (ok, looking at the tellers’ behinds) and see less than 3 feet away an official-looking unzipped bank bag fulled to the brim with Sejongs just lying around beside a chair.
No one was paying amount to me, I had a sizeable bag on me and could have whisked away some of the Sejongs had I felt inclined.
But, alas, I’m far too conscientious and - need I say - a pussy to ever do such a thing!
Both. I’ve paraphrased Chris Rock many a times here, but I’ll do it again — as much as “we” like to bitch about the media giving us a “bad rap,” when I’m at my neighborhood ATM at night and I’m looking over my shoulder, I’m not looking for the Chosun Ilbo. I’m looking for foreigners.
damn. robert nails it on the head everytime. haha