Authorities in Hwaseong Dongtan have apprehended a key suspect linked to a series of vandalism attacks dubbed ‘bottle terror,’ targeting women in their 20s across multiple locations.
Investigation Uncovers 20 Incidents
Police investigations reveal 20 cases involving women in their 20s at apartment complexes, jewelry stores, and the Myeongye Hwaseongson building. On April 1 at around 8:30 p.m., the suspect hurled a tennis racket and sprayed liquid substances at the window of a fourth-floor apartment in a Dongtan residential complex.
The 30-year-old man, believed to be connected to prior victims, resides nearby and possesses approximately 30 jars of suspicious liquids. Investigators seized him that same afternoon at 4:18 p.m. near a local jewelry store.
During questioning, the suspect admitted, “I received instructions via Telegram from an acquaintance and carried out the vandalism.” He remains in custody in Daegu for further examination.
Related Vandalism Cases Emerge
Earlier, on April 22, a perpetrator in their 20s doused an apartment facade with liquid waste and human excrement before spraying colorful lacquer paint. Nearby, around 40 flyers defaming building residents were discovered.
On April 24 at approximately 11:30 a.m., another individual in their 20s infiltrated a multi-unit residential building, applied graffiti to the walls, and posted about 10 flyers inside proclaiming, “This place is not safe.”
Telegram Instructions and Crypto Payments
All suspects confessed to receiving directives through Telegram from online contacts, compensated with cryptocurrency. They described being ordered to deploy substances resembling drone gas or similar materials during the acts.
Officers are executing search warrants on the primary suspect and probing potential links to these individuals, aiming to dismantle the network behind the spree.
