Two teens with bolt cutters target unmanned claw machine arcade in Incheon

Police are searching for two teenagers who used bolt cutters to damage a cash exchange machine at an unmanned store before fleeing.

According to JTBC's crime affairs program "Sageon Banjang" on Thursday, a store owner identified only as A, who runs an unmanned claw machine arcade in Incheon, filed a police report after discovering his cash exchange machine had been damaged on Thursday, July 16.

A had visited the store to clean it when he found the machine broken. A skewer was also found nearby.

Reviewing the store's closed-circuit television footage, A found that around 2 a.m. that same day, two boys who appeared to be upper elementary to middle school age had entered the store and spent about 20 minutes attempting to steal cash before giving up and leaving.

In the footage A submitted to the program, the pair looked around before inserting a skewer into the cash exchange machine in an attempt to extract money from inside. When that failed, one of them — who had been keeping watch — reached into a large bag he was carrying and pulled out bolt cutters to try to break open the machine. Even after straining with the tool, they could not force it open and left empty-handed.