Court Considers "Small Amount of Damage and Victim's Wish Not to Prosecute"
A man in his 40s was sentenced to a suspended prison term for secretly entering a closed chicken restaurant at dawn, frying a whole chicken himself, and stealing it.
On the 19th, the Daejeon District Court Criminal Division 4 (Presiding Judge Lee Je-seung) sentenced Mr. A, in his 40s, who was charged with nighttime trespassing and theft, to six months in prison. However, the execution of the sentence was suspended for one year, and he was ordered to perform 80 hours of community service.
Mr. A secretly entered a chicken restaurant in Sejong City during the early morning hours on August 17 last year, fried one whole chicken (worth 20,000 won) himself, and stole it along with beer and soju, totaling about 50,000 won.
He was also prosecuted for stealing one whole chicken and draft beer worth about 34,000 won in the same manner at the same location three days later.
The court stated, "Considering the nature and frequency of the crimes, the culpability is not light." However, it explained the sentencing by saying, "Considering that the amount of damage was small and the victim did not wish to press charges."
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