"Nobody Took Them"... Unauthorized Occupation of Lost Items in Subway 'Surges'

115 Cases of Embezzlement of Possession per Month
Up to 1 Year Imprisonment Possible

Crimes involving passengers unlawfully taking lost property in the subway are occurring at an average of 115 cases per month. Caution is necessary because failing to follow proper procedures to return found items to their owners can lead to legal issues.

Passengers walking after getting off the subway. Photo by Yonhap News

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Subway Police Unit on the 11th, there were 2,221 crimes in the Seoul subway from January to September this year. Among these, 1,036 cases were of embezzlement of lost property, the highest number. By year, there were 970 cases in 2020, 1,027 in 2021, 1,371 in 2022, and 1,431 in 2023, showing an increasing trend each year.

In fact, last April, a man in his 50s was caught by the police after taking a bag left behind by a Japanese tourist on the subway to his home. The bag was found to contain about 30 million won in cash, including Korean won and Japanese yen. Last year, a man in his 60s was arrested by the police for taking lost property containing precious metals worth about 14 million won, including diamonds and pure gold rings, on Subway Line 1 without reporting it.

While theft is a crime established by unlawfully taking property possessed by another person, embezzlement of lost property is a crime committed when someone who finds lost items fails to promptly report them to a public office or return them, instead owning, selling, or lending them. If found guilty, the offender may face up to one year in prison or a fine or penalty of up to 3 million won.

Professor Kim Young-sik of the Department of Police Administration at Seowon University advised, “The increase in crimes affecting people's livelihoods is related to the national economic situation,” and added, “Regular announcements in the subway should raise passengers’ awareness about lost property, and it should be actively promoted that taking lost items is a crime.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.