Elementary School Students Rob Internet Cafe Safe, Bow to CCTV, and Mock Staff by Shouting 'Number One'

Owner Says "Children's Nonchalant Behavior Was More Shocking Than the Money"
Suspected to Be Elementary School Students... Police Investigating Incident Details

An incident occurred at an internet cafe in Gangwon Province, where teenagers opened the counter safe and ran away after stealing cash.

According to Yonhap News Agency on June 30, students who appeared to be elementary school-aged were caught on closed-circuit television (CCTV) on June 24 stealing cash and coins from the counter safe at an internet cafe.

Photo posted by a PC cafe owner. Courtesy of reader, Yonhap News Agency

The footage shows one student opening the safe and taking out cash while another student keeps watch, as well as a scene where the stolen bills are handed over. The video also captured them bowing toward the CCTV immediately after the theft. Although the father of the internet cafe owner, Mr. A, was sitting near the counter, the students reportedly disregarded his presence, opened the safe, and took the cash.

Afterward, Mr. A posted a photo of the incident at the counter, and when the students returned to the internet cafe, they saw the CCTV photo he had posted. One student, believed to be among the group, protested to the cafe staff, saying, "I didn't even go behind the counter, so why did you put up the photo?"

Mr. A said that when a staff member asked, "Aren't you an accomplice since you received the stolen bills?" the student did not respond. Later, as one student was leaving the store, he raised his thumb and said "Number one," making remarks and gestures that appeared to mock the staff.

Mr. A told Yonhap News Agency, "The amount lost was about 100,000 won, so the loss itself was not significant, but the children's behavior was far more shocking. I was stunned to see them commit the theft so casually despite knowing there was CCTV and even bowing toward the camera."

Teenagers stole cash and coins from a counter safe and fled. Yonhap News Agency

He continued, "What was even more baffling was that they came back the next day and questioned why I had put up the photo. There was no apology or offer of compensation, and seeing them behave as if nothing happened left me not angry, but deeply troubled."

Mr. A estimates, based on the CCTV footage and reports from those nearby, that the students are elementary school-aged. If they are between the ages of 10 and 14, they fall under the classification of "juvenile offenders" who are not subject to criminal prosecution. The police are currently investigating the details of the incident.

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