(123rf)
(123rf)

The Supreme Court upheld a three-year prison term for a man indicted for stealing 6.7 billion won ($4.5 million) from an unstaffed storage facility, according to local media on Sunday.

All-news TV channel YTN reported that the top court dismissed both the prosecution's and the defendant's appeal, upholding the lower court's ruling.

The man in his 40s, who was indicted on charges of nighttime trespassing and theft, was initially sentenced to four years in prison but had the term reduced to three years on appeal.

The case took place at an unmanned rented storage facility near Jamsil Station on Subway Line No. 2 in Songpa-gu, southern Seoul, in September 2024. The man was accused of stealing 6.7 billion won of the 6.8 billion won in cash stored there by a customer.

Investigators said the cash was packed into six suitcases. After taking the money, the man allegedly replaced it with stacks of A4 paper and left a note suggesting no harm would come if the theft was not reported.

The man claimed he had stolen about 4.2 billion won, not the 6.7 billion won that went missing. Prosecutors argued he had likely concealed the remaining funds and should not be allowed to recover them after serving a short prison term. The court, however, said the evidence did not substantiate that he had stolen the full amount.

Meanwhile, police suspect the cash stored in the unit may be linked to criminal proceeds and have booked the owner on suspicion of concealing illicit funds.


junheee@heraldcorp.com