Juvenile Offenders Automatically Released to Parents? Think Again: Three Elementary Students Sent to Detention Facility for Car Theft

It has been confirmed that juvenile offenders who were apprehended last month in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, for driving stolen vehicles without a license in a highly dangerous manner have been sent to protective facilities.

The Cheonan Dongnam Police Station announced today (June 17) that three elementary school students in the Cheonan area, including A (12) and B (12), who drove stolen cars without a license, are currently being held in juvenile protective facilities, such as the Juvenile Classification Review Board.

A, B, and others are accused of stealing a sports utility vehicle (SUV) from the underground parking lot of an apartment complex in Dongnam-gu, Cheonan, at 7:20 a.m. on May 13 and driving it.

At the time, multiple reports were filed stating that "elementary school students are driving a car around the neighborhood." Police launched a pursuit and apprehended the driver, A, on a street in Sinbu-dong, Dongnam-gu, two hours and 25 minutes later.

B and C (12), who were in the vehicle, fled the scene after exiting the car but were apprehended on a street in Dongnam-gu about eight hours later at 3:25 p.m.

Police investigations revealed that A opened the door of an unlocked vehicle, started the engine, and drove away. It was also discovered that A had crashed into a guardrail at the time of his arrest.

The juvenile court issued an emergency escort warrant for A, the driver and primary perpetrator, allowing him to be immediately detained at the Juvenile Classification Review Board without a separate summons process.

For B and C, the police initially released them to their parents and conducted investigations into their school life and home environment.

However, one week later, on May 20, B committed another dangerous crime by stealing his friend D's (12) father's car. B drove the vehicle without a license all the way to Dangjin, with D as a passenger.

The two abandoned the car in Dangjin three hours and 20 minutes after the theft and fled, but were apprehended by police 30 minutes later at an internet cafe in Eumnae-dong, Dangjin.

Generally, in such cases, children and adolescents between the ages of 10 and 14—who are classified as "juvenile offenders under the age of criminal responsibility" and are exempt from criminal punishment—have often been released to their parents following police questioning.

However, given the severity of B committing the same crime again within a week, the police applied for emergency escort warrants not only for B but also for C and D. Warrants were issued for two of them, B and D.

Once an emergency escort warrant is issued, individuals under the age of 14 can be detained in juvenile facilities.

Consequently, a total of three students, including A, are now staying in protective facilities and will undergo review to determine juvenile protective measures.

A police official stated, "Although the warrant for one individual was dismissed, warrants were issued for the three whose level of involvement in the crimes was significant. All three are currently separated from their parents or guardians and are being held in custody."

The official added, "The current trend is to immediately apply for emergency escort warrants if the case is serious, if there is a high possibility of recidivism, or if it is determined that parental supervision is difficult, even if they are juvenile offenders under the age of criminal responsibility."

In this regard, Oh Yoon-sung, a professor of police administration at Soonchunhyang University, stated, "Unlicensed driving by juvenile offenders who are inevitably inexperienced must be viewed more seriously than that of adults." He added, "Since there is a very high possibility of multiple casualties if an accident occurs, releasing them to guardians is not the universal solution; firm and serious disciplinary measures are essential."
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.