Taxi Driver's Bag Theft Incident: Where is the Damage Recovery?

The bag theft incident involving a taxi driver in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province has sparked controversy as it concluded with a fine, leaving the damage unrecovered.

On the early morning of November 9th last year, a female passenger stole a bag that had been left on the back seat of the taxi and fled. The bag contained a total of 2,090,000 won, including cash intended to buy a computer for her daughter and taxi repair expenses.

The taxi driver, who reported the incident, immediately notified the police. Black box footage captured the moment the female passenger got out of the taxi with the bag in her hands.

The informant wanted to get her money back rather than hold the young passenger accountable, but the passenger denied any knowledge, saying, "What bag?" However, after reviewing the black box footage, she stated that there was "no intent" and that she would not return the money.

Later, the police secured CCTV footage showing the passenger boarding an elevator while holding the informant's wallet and cash after getting out of the taxi, confirming the crime. Eventually, the woman was handed over to the prosecution and received a summary indictment, resulting in a fine of 2,000,000 won.

However, the informant claimed that they did not receive any notifications regarding the handling of the case from the prosecution or the court, and that the case concluded without recovering the stolen amount.

The informant expressed feelings of injustice, stating, "Since she stole 2,090,000 won, it feels like I paid her fine." They mentioned, "After 2-3 months following my report, I called the court's civil service office, and they told me she had already received a fine." The informant felt quite upset, saying, "It seems like I paid her fine with the money I lost because she has no criminal record and is a first-time offender."

Additionally, they criticized the situation where victims must independently seek out information confirming that the case was closed with a summary order, highlighting how the legal system operates unfavorably for victims.

Although prosecutors and defendants can request a formal trial after a summary order, victims do not have the right to request a trial, leaving a sense of disappointment.

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Image source: jtbc 'Incident Control Team'