420,000 Won Goes Missing from Wallet Left with Police: Investigation Underway

Police have launched an investigation after cash and gift certificates worth approximately 420,000 won went missing from a wallet that was being held as lost property at a police facility.

According to the Daejeon Metropolitan Police Agency on June 18, a citizen reported finding a wallet and turned it in to a local police security center under the jurisdiction of the Yuseong Police Station on March 27.

At the time, the wallet contained cash and department store gift certificates worth 420,000 won. The officer in charge confirmed the amount and notified the owner, identified as A (in their 30s), that the wallet had been recovered.

Relieved, A later visited the police station to retrieve the wallet, only to discover that the cash and gift certificates were missing.

After receiving no satisfactory explanation regarding the whereabouts of the money and vouchers, A reportedly filed a complaint against the officials involved on charges of theft.

Typically, when lost property is reported at a local police substation or security center, staff are required to deliver the items to the lost-and-found department of the jurisdictional police station, where the items must be kept securely until the owner arrives to claim them.

In relation to this incident, the Daejeon Jungbu Police Station is currently investigating the facts, focusing on charges of embezzlement.

The police suspect that the items went missing while in police custody, raising the possibility of internal involvement, and have shifted the focus of the investigation to potential embezzlement.

A police official stated, "We are investigating all personnel involved, from the initial intake at the Yuseong Police Station to those responsible for storage. As no specific suspect has been identified yet, we cannot disclose further details," adding, "Depending on the investigation results, if criminal activity is confirmed, we plan to proceed with separate internal inspections and disciplinary procedures."
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.