"Ice Cream Must All Be Thrown Away"... Shop Owner's Tears Over Construction Worker Stealing Electricity
An owner of an unmanned ice cream shop complained that they had to discard all the ice cream due to a construction worker stealing electricity.
A, who operates an unmanned ice cream shop in Hongmun-dong, Yeoju-si, Gyeonggi-do, shared their recent experience on their social media on the 20th. According to A, a construction worker who was working on the sidewalk in front of A’s shop used the shop’s electricity without permission, causing severe damage including having to discard all the ice cream.
A said, "It seems they needed electricity to use construction equipment. (One worker) used the outlet inside our shop," and released CCTV footage from inside the shop.
The released CCTV shows a construction worker wearing a hat holding an electric wire and entering A’s shop. He looks around next to the ice cream freezer, finds an outlet, and connects the electricity. He then quickly leaves the shop.
The problem occurred afterward. As the construction began, the power to the freezer inside the shop was cut off.
A said, "The circuit breaker suddenly tripped. I found out too late. The ice cream had already melted," and lamented, "We discarded all the ice cream boxes. We cannot refreeze and sell them."
Netizens reacted with anger to the story, saying things like, "If this happened in Japan, it would be a serious crime," "Shouldn’t they reveal his face for real?", "Not only stealing electricity but also disrupting business, they should report to the police," and "It was so natural I thought it was their own shop."
Using electricity without permission can also be considered theft. If someone knowingly continues to use electricity without authorization, intentionality is recognized, and they can face up to six years in prison or a fine of up to 10 million won under theft charges.
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