Special Larceny Charges for 1,500 Won Incident: Why Police Pursued Case Despite Store Owner's Request Not to Punish

Two individuals with severe developmental disabilities were found to have eaten a 1,500 won ice cream at a convenience store without paying for it.

The police are facing controversy over excessive investigation after it was reported that they applied charges of "special larceny" to the individuals.

The incident occurred on June 10 at a convenience store in Busan, where two individuals in their 30s with severe developmental disabilities shared one ice cream without paying.

Their parents learned of the incident later and apologized to the convenience store, paying 100,000 won in compensation.

The store owner also expressed understanding of the situation and stated that they did not wish for the individuals to be punished.

However, it was reported that the police applied charges of special larceny under the Criminal Act and forwarded the case to the prosecution.

This was based on the legal provision that special larceny is established when two or more people conspire to steal another person's property.

The prosecution granted a suspension of indictment, taking into account that they were first-time offenders and that the store owner did not want them punished after reaching a settlement.

Families of the individuals with developmental disabilities reportedly plan to file a complaint against the investigating officer for abuse of power, arguing that it was an unreasonable investigation that failed to consider the severity of the matter or the characteristics of the disabilities.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.