Investigate and handle subjects who vandalized vending machines in Vinh City

Consecutive violations

Most recently, through the camera system recorded, at about 2:00 a.m. on March 23, 2022, atvending machinesLocated near the bus stop on Nguyen Trai Street, Ha Huy Tap Ward (opposite the Endocrinology Hospital), 4 teenagers used long iron bars, wrenches, etc. to repeatedly hit the glass surface of the kiosk. After smashing, the group of 4 teenagers took the soft drinks in the kiosk and put them in prepared plastic containers to carry to another place, then returned to continue smashing and taking all the remaining goods.

Arriving here after the incident, we noticed that the entire front glass of the vending machine was completely damaged, and the items in the cabinet had been taken away. Many people waiting for the bus here expressed that installing the vending machine here is very convenient for passersby, especially in areas without shops, however, it is unclear why it was vandalized like that.

Vending machines on Nguyen Trai Street (opposite the Endocrinology Hospital) were vandalized and the items inside were stolen. Photo: D.C.

It is known that in March, specifically on March 17, 2022, an operating staff of VVM Investment and Trading Joint Stock Company, Mr. Nguyen Van Cuong, went to the vending machine located on the sidewalk of Truong Thi Secondary School, Dinh Bat Tuy Street, Truong Thi Ward (Vinh City), and discovered that the glass of the vending machine here had been broken, although there was no damage to the property inside.

Previously, the camera system recorded that at around 1:00 a.m. on March 9, 2022, two young men riding an electric motorbike used bricks to break the glass of a vending machine placed on the sidewalk of Dang Thai Mai Secondary School, Le Hoan Street, Hung Phuc Ward (Vinh City) and then left. At around 2:00 a.m., they returned to break the glass again and take the items displayed inside the machine.

Since 2018, in Vinh City, there have been 39 vending machines installed and operated by the company to sell soft drinks. However, since the end of 2020, the company's vending machines have been frequently vandalized, with the intensity and frequency of vandalism becoming increasingly serious, with 33 incidents to date (some machines have been vandalized multiple times).

Representative of VVM Investment and Trading Joint Stock Company

Need to intervene and handle seriously

It is known that most of the incidents after occurring were reported to the local authorities by the VVM Investment and Trading Joint Stock Company Branch in Nghe An, however, after a while, similar incidents continued to occur.

As the person who directly discovered and handled a group of subjects who vandalized vending machines placed on the streets to steal property in early 2021, Captain Nguyen Van Quan - Deputy Captain of the Mobile Police Team, under the Mobile Police Department of the Provincial Police, said: At that time, in Vinh City, there were often cases of subjects vandalizing vending machines placed on the streets to steal property, causing anger and anxiety among the people. Faced with that situation, the leaders of the Mobile Police Department deployed forces to conduct verification and investigation, discovering a group of 2 young men with many suspicious signs.

Many vending machines in Vinh City were continuously vandalized. Photo: PV

After a long period of persistent monitoring, at about 2:00 a.m. on January 13, 2021, at address No. 15, Lane 8, Nguyen Van Cu Street, Hung Binh Ward, (Vinh City), the Traffic Police Department discovered and arrested two subjects: Bui Van Sy (born 2002), residing in Team 5, Thanh Mai Commune, Thanh Chuong District and Phan Van Phi (born 2005), residing in Tan Thang Hamlet, Dong Hop Commune, Quy Hop District, who were studying a trade in Vinh City, for theft of property. Confiscated two black backpacks containing a metal hammer and many bottles of soft drinks, candy, etc.

According to the statements of the two subjects, these were the means and evidence that they had just committed the theft at the vending machine located in Vinh City. The subjects often take advantage of the time when there are no people, at night, when they discover that the vending machine is not being watched, they will try to steal the property in the machine to use.

According to Major Le Van Son - Head of Truong Thi Ward Police, in February 2020, the Ward Police force also coordinated to handle a subject who smashed a vending machine on Truong Thi Street, next to the Festival Palace. The subject is Nguyen Duc Dung (born in 1985), residing in Nghi Xuan District, Ha Tinh Province. However, this subject had previously suffered from mental illness for about 4 years, leading to his inability to control his behavior, often wandering around and destroying property.

Major Le Van Son added that currently, Truong Thi Ward Police are coordinating to verify and clarify the subject who smashed the vending machine placed on the sidewalk of Truong Thi Secondary School, located on Dinh Bat Tuy Street, which occurred on March 17, 2022. The scene shows that the subject may have used a rock to throw from a distance.

Two subjects vandalized and stole property from a vending machine and were discovered by the Mobile Police. Photo: PV

According to the authorities, the subjects who caused the vandalism and theft of property from vending machines were mostly teenagers. Among them, many were from mountainous districts studying at high schools and vocational schools in Vinh City. The time of their activities was usually between 1am and 2am, and while vandalizing, the subjects often wore sun-protective clothing and masks to avoid detection...

An investigator from Vinh City Police said: Right from the time when the vandalism and theft of property at vending machines appeared in the area, Vinh City Police focused on investigating and handling the case, in which, one case took place at the end of 2020, some subjects were prosecuted criminally, but most were administratively prosecuted because the subjects were young. Currently, similar cases continue to occur, so the Vinh City Police Criminal Investigation Team continues to investigate and handle the case to find the subjects soon.

Thus, it can be seen that this is a recurring incident, with an increasing trend (from the beginning of March 2022 until now, there have been 3 incidents), not only affecting the security and order situation in the area, but also directly affecting the business activities of enterprises, the needs of people and tourists are also affected... It is thought that, along with the fact that enterprises pay more attention to supervision and protection work, it is also necessary for the authorities to step up patrol work, detect and promptly handle vandalism and theft at vending machines, ensuring security and order in the area.