A man in his 30s attempted to rob a bank in broad daylight in Busan, South Korea, using his son's toy water gun covered with a black plastic bag. Authorities revealed that financial struggles drove the man to commit the crime.
On February 11, Busan’s Gijang Police Department announced that they had requested an arrest warrant for the suspect, a man in his 30s, on charges of attempted robbery.
According to the police, the suspect entered a bank in Gijang County at 10:58 AM on February 10 and attempted to carry out a robbery. Wearing a beanie and scarf to conceal his face, the man disguised a dinosaur-shaped toy water gun by covering it with a black plastic bag, making it look like a real firearm. He then shouted at about ten customers and employees inside the bank, ordering them to leave.
The suspect then demanded that a bank employee fill a luggage bag with 50,000 KRW (34.42 USD) bills.
However, during the incident, when the man momentarily looked away, a customer, identified as Park Cheon Gyu (age 53), grabbed the gun and engaged in a physical struggle. Several bank employees quickly joined in, subduing the man and handing him over to the police. The entire incident lasted only two minutes, starting when the suspect entered the bank. Authorities believe his financial difficulties led him to commit the crime.
Five years ago, the suspect moved from Seoul to his hometown of Busan with his family. However, after failing in a self-employed business venture and repeatedly struggling to find employment, he remained jobless for five years.
During police questioning, the man reportedly stated that he was in severe financial distress, unable to pay utility bills, and had recently been evicted from his studio apartment.
The dinosaur-shaped toy water gun he used in the robbery attempt was later confirmed to belong to his 8-year-old son.
A police official stated, “His son, who is starting elementary school this year, has many needs, and as their financial situation worsened, the man appears to have committed the crime out of desperation.”
Park Cheon Gyu, who was in the bank with his wife at the time of the incident, reportedly had military experience as a special forces operative. In recognition of his bravery in subduing the suspect, the police plan to present him with a certificate of commendation. The suspect’s pretrial detention hearing was held on the morning of the 11th. Later, a decision on whether to issue an arrest warrant is expected.
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