Ring 'Slip' from Finger of Corpse... Funeral Hall Staff Caught by Sharp Eyes of Deceased's Lover

Physical altercation with bereaved family during interrogation
Agreement reached, but cannot avoid punishment as it is not a non-prosecution offense

An employee at a funeral hall who stole a couple ring from the finger of a deceased person was caught by the police.

According to Yonhap News on the 2nd, the Jungbu Police Station in Daejeon is investigating an employee A (56) at a funeral hall in Jung-gu on charges of embezzlement. A is suspected of selling a ring from the finger of the deceased B, who was in his 30s, to a jewelry store after washing the body at the funeral hall where he worked on the 22nd of last month. The ring was one of six valuables left with the body.

Mr. A is accused of selling a ring that was on the finger of the deceased Mr. B, who was in his 30s, after embalming the body at the funeral home where he works on the 22nd of last month. The ring was one of six valuables, including jewelry, found on the body. The photo is not related to the specific content of the article. [Photo by Pixabay]

The ring sold by A was a couple ring that the deceased B had matched with his lover during his lifetime. After the funeral, when the bereaved family went to collect the deceased’s belongings, A, startled, went back to the jewelry store to retrieve the ring.

However, the ring had already been distributed to a jewelry processing company in Seoul. Eventually, A purchased a ring with the same design as the deceased’s couple ring from the jewelry store and returned it to the bereaved family as if it were the original couple ring.

The deceased’s lover and some family members noticed that the color was slightly different and realized it was a different ring. They confronted A, and a physical altercation occurred during this process.

Later, A went to the jewelry processing company, retrieved the deceased’s ring that he had sold, and returned it to the bereaved family. Although A reached an agreement with the family, embezzlement is not subject to the victim’s withdrawal of charges, so even if the victim does not want prosecution, charges can be filed, and A cannot avoid punishment.

A police official said, "The part involving the physical altercation is subject to the victim’s withdrawal of charges, so since an agreement was reached, the case ended without prosecution. However, embezzlement is not subject to the victim’s withdrawal of charges, so A has been booked and is under investigation."