Four teenagers were arrested by police after stealing a car from an apartment parking lot and driving it without a license.
Osan Police Station in Gyeonggi Province said Thursday that it had detained the four, including a teenager identified only as "A," on charges of special theft and violating the Road Traffic Act for stealing a parked vehicle and driving it.
According to police, the group allegedly targeted an unlocked Renault sedan with keys left inside at an apartment parking lot in Hwaseong around 1 a.m. that day.
After stealing the vehicle, "A" drove approximately 10 kilometers to an accommodation facility in Osan with three accomplices on board, all without a driver's license, police said.
The crime was uncovered when a staff member at the accommodation facility called the vehicle owner's contact number displayed on the car to address a parking issue. The suspicious owner then reported the matter to police, triggering an investigation.
Police launched a pursuit after receiving the report and detained all four teenagers at around 4:30 a.m. the same day.
The investigation found that the group specifically targeted vehicles that were left unlocked with keys inside.
Police said they are investigating the detailed circumstances of the crime and whether the suspects were involved in additional offenses.