A South Korean police station that recently had a confiscated motorcycle stolen by teenagers has decided to address the issue by having police officers on the night shift work outside the building, sparking further controversy over the appropriateness of the response.
The Changwonseobu Police Station in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, has decided to station police officers on night duty at a booth next to the parking lot, according to local Korean-language daily Busan Ilbo. The officers were previously stationed at the front desk of the first floor of the building.
The new measure was imposed after a recent incident where a teen investigated for stealing a motorcycle on Sept. 1 allegedly stole the bike back from the police parking lot just a couple days later.
The teen and a friend are believed to have climbed over a fence in the wee hours of Sept. 3 to steal back the motorcycle, which was left without any type of locking mechanism. Officials at the station reportedly did not notice it was missing until the suspect was summoned for questioning in the case the next day.
The motorcycle was reconfiscated at a separate substation under the jurisdiction of the Changwonseobu station on Sept. 13, but it was stolen again just three days later. The vehicle was ultimately recovered by police on Sept. 18 -- after the teen who first stole the motorcycle got in an accident.
Officials have reportedly added a digital lock to the storage area for confiscated items and now also lock the wheels of motorcycles.
The decision to station night-shift officers outside the building has touched off complaints, as the booth they are working in has regular glass and no locking mechanism, leaving them more vulnerable. It is also farther from other divisions within the building, making it more difficult for officers stationed there to seek help in case of emergency.
The Busan-based daily cited an official of the Changwonseobu Police Station who said the countermeasures are largely ineffective. The official called for revamping the facility, such as by installing sensors inside the storage area.