Masked intruders smash Chinese restaurant in Bundang, spray black liquid and leave pesticide containers

Masked intruders broke into a Chinese restaurant in Bundang-gu, Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province in the middle of the night, smashing windows and fixtures and spraying black liquid before fleeing, police said Thursday. Pesticide and insecticide containers were also found at the scene, and police are investigating whether the substances were sprayed on the restaurant's food ingredients.

The Bundang Police Station received a report at around 8:30 a.m. Thursday from the restaurant's owner, a man in his 30s identified only as A, who said someone had broken into his store and damaged the interior.

Officers who responded found shattered glass windows and a point-of-sale terminal and chairs bearing what appeared to be scratch marks from a sharp object. Black liquid had been sprayed throughout the premises, and several pesticide and insecticide containers were discovered.

A told police the containers were empty and that food ingredients stored nearby gave off a suspicious odor, raising the possibility that someone had sprayed the substances on them. Police plan to conduct forensic testing to determine whether pesticides or insecticides were used.

Closed-circuit television footage from the restaurant showed two individuals, believed to be men, wearing masks and breaking through a reinforced-glass back door at around 2:40 a.m. Thursday. The pair remained inside for about an hour before fleeing. Because the restaurant had no alarm system, A only learned of the damage that morning after being contacted by the building manager.

A did not name a specific suspect, but said he suspects the attack may be connected to a series of complaints he had recently received over his restaurant's name, which shares a name with a prominent Chinese public figure.

"I have been operating under the same name for eight years, but starting a few months ago I suddenly began receiving protest calls and visits taking issue with it," A said. "Two months ago, someone sprayed black paint on my signboard and fled — I reported that to police as well."

Police are analyzing footage from nearby surveillance cameras to trace the suspects' movements. "Once we apprehend the suspects, we will confirm the detailed charges and motive," a police official said.