"To Secure Evidence of Sexual Assault"... Three-Generation Family Breaks into Daughter's Former Workplace and Steals Computer

Incheon District Court Sentences 8 Months Imprisonment with 2 Years Probation
Court: "No Evidence of Sexual Assault or Justification for Theft"

A mother and her two daughters were sentenced to prison for breaking into a company where the daughter had previously worked and secretly taking a computer and mobile phone in an attempt to secure evidence of sexual assault.

According to a report by News1 on the 6th, the Criminal Division 15 of Incheon District Court (Presiding Judge Ryu Hojung) sentenced A (61), B (31), and C (32), who were charged with special theft, to eight months in prison with a two-year probation period each.

According to the report, A and B and C are mother and daughters, and B and C are sisters. They were prosecuted for breaking into a car tuning company in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, at around 3:33 a.m. on December 13, 2022, and secretly taking two desktop computers, one laptop, and one mobile phone. A and the others broke into the company at night under the pretext of securing evidence after B accused the company owner, D, of sexually assaulting her. B reportedly claimed she was sexually assaulted at the location. To avoid being tracked during the crime, they removed the vehicle’s license plate in advance, drove to the company, and entered the premises. The police responded to a report, searched the scene, and caught them in the act after spotting the vehicle fleeing without a license plate.

During the trial, A and the others argued, "It was to secure evidence of the sexual assault committed against the daughter and does not violate social norms." However, the court did not accept this claim. Earlier, the police investigation resulted in a decision not to prosecute D due to insufficient evidence, and the court judged that even considering the evidence submitted by A and others, it was difficult to acknowledge that B was sexually assaulted.

The court stated, "Even if B was sexually assaulted and filmed, there is no evidence that related videos were stored," and pointed out, "The purpose of securing evidence of the sexual assault does not justify stealing two desktop computers, a laptop, and a mobile phone from the victim’s office." Regarding sentencing, the court explained, "However, defendant A is in very poor health, and defendant B has bipolar affective disorder, which appears to have influenced the crime," and "considered that defendants B and C have no prior criminal records exceeding fines."