Five men broke into a used-car export company parking lot in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, and stole five vehicles [1].

The theft highlights vulnerabilities in the security of export hubs, where high-value assets are often stored in bulk. The precision of the heist suggests the suspects targeted specific luxury models to maximize profit through resale or illegal export.

During the early morning of May 12, 2024, the suspects entered the lot by cutting the lock on the gate [1]. Once inside, they bypassed security by using keys that had been left inside the vehicles [1]. The group moved cheaper cars aside to reach the more expensive models, completing the entire operation and driving the five cars out of the lot in 11 minutes [1].

Ngulli Ahmed, the owner of the affected export company, expressed desperation over the financial impact of the loss. "Suddenly there are no cars. How can I receive money from customers in the future?" Ahmed said. "If people do not send money, I cannot work much, how can I live?"

Local authorities have been investigating the incident, but the five male suspects have remained at large for a month following the crime [1]. The speed of the theft and the specific targeting of high-value assets indicate a coordinated effort rather than a random act of opportunity.

Security at the Gimpo facility was breached quickly, a result of the simple gate lock and the convenience of available keys. The loss of these vehicles directly threatens the operational viability of the export business, as the owner relies on these assets to secure payments from international clients.

“The group moved cheaper cars aside to reach the more expensive models.”

This incident underscores a critical security gap in the used-car export industry, where the practice of leaving keys inside vehicles for efficiency creates an easy target for organized theft. The ability of the suspects to identify and extract only high-value assets within a tight 11-minute window suggests a level of prior reconnaissance and coordination typical of professional theft rings.