Number of Elderly Theft Offenders Aged 71 and Older Surges by 68%: "No Income, Struggling to Survive"

In the Past Five Years, Total Number of Theft Offenders Up by Only 1.1%

While the total number of theft offenders increased by only 1.1% over the past five years, the number of offenders aged 71 and older surged by nearly 70%.

According to data obtained from the National Police Agency by Paek Jonghun, a member of the People Power Party and a member of the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee (representing Geumjeong, Busan), the total number of people apprehended for theft rose from 99,746 in 2020 to 100,876 in 2024, marking only a 1.1% increase. However, during the same period, the number of theft offenders aged 71 and older jumped from 9,624 to 16,223, representing a 68.5% surge.

Paek Jonghun, member of the People Power Party. Office of Paek Jonghun

The number of theft offenders aged 61 and older increased from 23,141 to 34,185, a rise of 47.7%.

Paek Jonghun pointed out, "The sharp increase in theft crimes among the elderly aged 71 and older, who face difficulties in economic activity, is likely to be a form of crime driven by economic hardship." He continued, "The rise in theft crimes among the elderly is not merely a public safety issue but a signal of the absence of a social safety net. To prevent economic poverty and social isolation from leading to crime, the Ministry of Health and Welfare should strengthen preventive social safety nets, such as education on financial planning for retirement, and work with the Ministry of Justice and the National Police Agency to establish a system to prevent repeat offenses among elderly offenders."

33.9% of Theft Suspects Were Aged 61 and Older Last Year

Meanwhile, according to statistics from the National Police Agency, the proportion of theft suspects aged 61 and older has been steadily rising: 23.4% in 2020, 29.1% in 2021, 30.7% in 2022, 30.8% in 2023, and 33.9% in 2024. In the first half of this year alone, the figure had already reached 34.9%.

Last year, for the first time, the proportion of crime suspects aged 60 and older surpassed that of those in their 20s.

According to the "2024 Crime Statistics" published by the National Police Agency in August, the total number of crimes committed last year was 1,583,108. When broken down by the age of suspects, those in their 50s accounted for the largest share at 262,570 (20.6%), followed by those in their 40s (260,991 or 20.5%), those aged 60 and older (238,882 or 18.8%), those in their 20s (232,924 or 18.3%), those in their 30s (216,386 or 17%), and those aged 18 and younger (61,729 or 4.8%).

The proportion of those aged 60 and older has increased every year, surpassing those in their 20s for the first time this year. In contrast, over the past five years, the proportions of those in their 20s, 40s, and 50s have shown an overall declining trend.