A man in his 60s who stole merchandise from a single convenience store more than 10 times returned to the same store after his case was referred to prosecutors, and now faces an additional stalking charge.
The man, identified only as A, was referred to prosecutors without detention on suspicion of stealing ice cream and other items more than 10 times in August from a convenience store in Sinheung-dong, Sujeong-gu, Seongnam, the Seongnam Sujeong Police Station said on the 2nd.
But even after the referral, A returned to the same store. After being caught stealing ice cream on six more occasions, police referred A to prosecutors again, this time adding a charge of violating the stalking punishment law to the existing theft charges.
According to police, the store owner had told A several times not to come back, but reported the case to police after A kept returning and stealing. Police concluded that repeatedly visiting the store against the victim's wishes amounted to stalking.
The investigation found that A, who had no steady job, had targeted the store because it was close to where they lived.
A court recently recognized the stalking charge and issued a provisional measure ordering A detained in a jail for one month.
