JAKARTA - Shoplifting at South Korean jewelry stores has increased amid a record-breaking rally in global gold prices, local authorities say.
International gold prices recently surpassed $5,300 per ounce for the first time, driven by weakening confidence in US dollar assets amid geopolitical tensions and recent statements by US President Donald Trump which also contributed to the weakening of the US dollar.
Police reports of attempted gold theft have increased sharply. According to police, the suspects tried to quickly turn the stolen goods into cash.
In Gwangju, police detained a teenager last Thursday after he disguised himself as a customer and stole a gold bracelet worth 30 million won from a jewelry store, according to The Korea Times (1/2)
Two weeks ago on Friday, police in Daejeon detained a teenage boy for allegedly stealing a gold bracelet worth about 8 million won from a jewelry store. Authorities are considering whether to file an arrest warrant.
This follows another case in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, on January 21, involving a high school student who was detained for trying to sell jewelry using a fake ID card.
In addition to teenagers, adults are also involved. Last Friday, a man in his 30s was arrested for stealing jewelry worth 3.8 million won from two stores in Gwangju.
Earlier this month, a more serious incident occurred in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, where a robbery at a jewelry store led to the death of the owner.
The suspect, a man in his 40s suspected of stabbing and killing the store owner, was arrested in Seoul about four and a half hours after the incident.
According to the police, the suspect was found carrying around 10 million won in cash at the time of his arrest. The cash came from the sale of stolen gold, said the police.
The police added that the perpetrator was then arrested on charges of murder.
The English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French versions are automatically generated by the AI. So there may still be inaccuracies in translating, please always see Indonesian as our main language. (system supported by DigitalSiber.id)
