"Not Detained" Commits Crime Again During Investigation... Prison Sentence Requested for Middle School Students

Stealing Valuables from Parked Cars and Driving Without a License
Also Ramming Police Officer's Face, Obstructing Official Duties

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyun-jung] Middle school students who rummaged through unlocked vehicles to steal valuables and secretly drove the cars have been sentenced to prison terms. It was confirmed that they committed other thefts and even assaulted police officers during the investigation.

Scenes from closed-circuit television (CCTV) capturing Mr. A and others committing car theft.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

According to Yonhap News on the 27th, the Jeju District Prosecutors' Office, at the first trial held at Jeju District Court Criminal Division 3, requested prison sentences for A (16), who was detained and indicted for special theft, violation of the Road Traffic Act, and illegal use of a vehicle, with a long-term sentence of 1 year and 6 months and a short-term sentence of 1 year; B (16) with a long-term sentence of 1 year and 6 months, a short-term sentence of 1 year, and a fine of 300,000 won; and C (16) with a long-term sentence of 1 year, a short-term sentence of 8 months, and a fine of 300,000 won.

A and others are accused of secretly driving eight parked vehicles with unlocked doors around Jeju Island from late September to early December last year. They reportedly selected vehicles whose side mirrors were not folded, used the keys inside to drive the cars around, and then returned them to their original spots.

A and others mainly targeted vehicles parked at Jeju International Airport parking building, parking lots of famous hotels in Jeju City, and the parking lot in Seogwipo City’s English Education City. Over about two months, they sold stolen valuables and items purchased with stolen cards from the cars on online secondhand marketplaces 30 times, earning 34 million won in cash, which they then squandered on entertainment expenses and the like.

On November 27 last year, A and others are also accused of obstructing official duties by recklessly driving motorcycles in Jeju City and injuring a police officer by ramming into his face when the police responded to a report. The group caught by the police at that time consisted of eight third-year middle school students, who committed crimes in groups of two to three. Five of them, excluding the three detained including A, were sent to juvenile court without detention.

The three detained, including A, reportedly committed other thefts, unlicensed driving, and police assault while under police investigation for stealing valuables from vehicles, confidently believing they would not be detained because they were juvenile offenders.

Accordingly, on the 6th, the Jeju District Prosecutors' Office stated when indicting the three, "According to Article 55, Paragraph 1 of the Juvenile Act, juveniles under 19 years old are not detained unless unavoidable, but in cases like this where juvenile offenders abuse social and institutional considerations or excessively disregard the law, strict measures will be taken."

At the first trial, they admitted all charges and pleaded for leniency. The sentencing trial for A and others is scheduled to be held at around 2:20 p.m. on February 15.