"Hellish plan." They rented a whole hotel to steal something weird

South Korean police have arrested a gang of eight who were about to reach their target — an oil pipeline — after spending a month digging a secret tunnel from a hotel.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported that eight criminals who had rented an entire hotel in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, were arrested and spent a month digging a secret underground tunnel through which they intended to reach a nearby oil pipeline.

The plan is believed to have been planned by a former employee of state-run Korean company Daehan Oil Pipeline Corporation who was previously fired for trying to steal oil from another pipeline.

The thieves rented a hotel near their target under the pretext of wanting to acquire it, and spent most of their days digging using rudimentary tools to avoid attracting attention to loud sounds.

It is believed that they surveyed the hotel for a long time before approaching the owner and making him think they wanted to take over the business from him.

The thieves rented it at a monthly price of 4.5 million won (less than four thousand US dollars), immediately closed the building and began digging in the basement of the building. They only worked with shovels and axes to keep noise levels low, until they eventually came close to their target.

Within about a month, the eight criminals managed to dig about 10 meters and were 30 cm from the oil pipeline. But as soon as the fruits of their labor and planning began to appear, the hotel was stormed and everyone inside was arrested.

The tunnel, which was 9 meters high by 78 centimeters wide and 81 centimeters, was dug from the hotel's basement.
Media said that although it is reinforced with wood, its presence is dangerous as it is under a highway used by 66000,<> vehicles a day, which now requires authorities to fill it to prevent any accidents.

The suspects admitted during the police investigation that they planned to sell oil at two petrol stations "if the plan succeeds".