"Police Searched Every Bush"... Jeju Officers Recover Stolen Bag and Arrest Thief

Australian Tourist in His 30s Steals Bag and Flees
Police Apprehend Suspect and Recover Bag After CCTV Investigation

A foreign tourist who stole the bag of a domestic tourist at a beach in Jeju has been apprehended by the police.

According to Yonhap News on May 27, the Jeju Western Police Station is investigating a man in his 30s, identified as A, an Australian national, without detention on suspicion of misappropriation of lost property.

The Asia Business Daily DB

A is accused of stealing a black backpack belonging to a Korean tourist, B, which had been left on a bench near Gwakji Beach in Aewol-eup, Jeju City, around 2:50 p.m. on May 15, and fleeing the scene by bicycle.

The stolen bag contained cash and a luxury wallet, with a total value of approximately 2 million won.

Upon receiving the report, police officers responded and tracked the suspect’s movements through analysis of nearby closed-circuit (CC) TV footage and other methods. About one hour after the incident, they located and arrested A at a convenience store approximately 3 kilometers from the scene of the crime.

Initially, A denied the crime, but reportedly admitted to the theft after police presented the CCTV footage.

The police also recovered the victim’s bag, which A had hidden in a closed parking lot about 1 kilometer from the scene of the incident, and returned it to the owner.

During police questioning, A stated that he had come to Jeju for tourism purposes and claimed, “I took the bag because it was on the bench.”

A post praising the police officers of Jeju Aewol Police Substation was uploaded on the Jeju Police Agency website. Jeju Police Agency website

The victim, B, expressed gratitude to the police by posting on the “Let’s Praise” board of the Jeju Police Agency website. B stated, “The officers on duty at the time took proactive measures in conducting the investigation,” and added, “The police personally checked the CCTVs near the location indicated by the suspect’s statement, tracked the suspect’s movements, and thoroughly searched the surrounding grassy areas and secluded spots.”

B continued, “Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the officers at Aewol Police Station, who handled the case as if it were their own, the suspect was apprehended quickly and all my valuables were recovered. I felt a deep sense of respect and gratitude toward the police officers of the Republic of Korea.”

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