Tip submitted to JTBC's 'Sageon Banjang'

Forced towing not possible as vehicle parked within legal lines

Not directly related to this article. [Image generated by AI]
Not directly related to this article. [Image generated by AI]

A building owner unable to proceed with a natural gas installation because a car has been parked in front of the building for two weeks went public with the ordeal through a television broadcast.

The driver, who claimed to be out of the area and unable to move the vehicle, returned in the early hours to paste warning notes on the windshield and windows threatening a lawsuit against anyone who touched the car — then left again.

The story of A, who runs a motorcycle repair shop in Nam-gu, Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, drew wide sympathy after it was featured on JTBC's "Sageon Banjang," a crime and incident news program, on Tuesday.

A purchased the building — which A had previously rented — about a year ago. Because the aging structure had no natural gas connection, A applied for an installation earlier this year and waited several months before work finally began recently. Interior pipe work was completed, leaving only the final step: digging up the road to connect the gas line.

The problem was that a sedan had been parked for two weeks directly over the spot where the pipe needed to run, requiring the driver's cooperation to proceed. The vehicle had no contact information on it. A left a note asking the owner to move the car for the gas work, but received no response and the car remained in place on the day work was scheduled to begin.

Facing a delay of several more months if the work window was missed, A turned to the district office and police for help. In a call with a district office official, the driver refused to move the vehicle, saying they were not in Pohang and did not know when they would return. The driver also declined to share contact information so A could coordinate directly. Police were reportedly told: "I have no intention of moving it — whether it takes a month or two. It could be this year, it could be next year. If you want, go ahead and file a complaint or a civil petition."

The district office said it could not order a forced tow because the vehicle was parked within marked parking lines.

Then, on Sunday morning, A found three sheets of paper freshly attached to the front, rear and side windows of the car. They read: "Do not touch this car. I will file civil and criminal suits. Valuables inside." A smiling emoticon was drawn on the notes.

Footage from A's shop security camera showed a man believed to be the driver approaching the vehicle at around 4:30 a.m. that same day, opening the car door and attaching the prepared notes. The man also appeared to check the car's condition — starting the engine and pressing the brakes — but did not move the vehicle.

A separate security camera captured the man returning by taxi about 10 minutes later and photographing the warning notes with his mobile phone. He then got back into the taxi's driver's seat and left. Based on this, the man is believed to be a taxi driver.

A said the man was not an acquaintance and that the deliberate obstruction of the construction work was clear. A plans to file a complaint against the man on charges of interference with business and to seek damages.


jshan@heraldcorp.com