By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter

Police and some civilians are at odds over who played the decisive role in catching Kim Kil-tae, the prime suspect in the kidnapping, rape and murder of a 13-year-old girl in Busan. A 20-million-won state reward could be at stake.

Officials say the apprehension was possible thanks to tips from hundreds of citizens regarding suspicious figures but insist that their role was minor.

The owner of a beauty salon just hundreds of meters away from where Kim was caught is claiming that her report of a robbery at her shop was crucial.

Identified by her surname Lee, the owner immediately called police after finding that 270,000 won ($240) had disappeared from her cash register, Wednesday.

After rushing to the scene in response to the call, a group of plainclothes police officers caught the suspect while patrolling the area on the same day.

But police refuse to give the reward to Lee, saying, ``It's unclear whether the robbery was committed by the suspect."

An officer familiar with the murder case said, "We believe it has nothing to do with the murder case. It's a coincidence the suspect was spotted following her report."

The National Police Agency plans to promote an officer for his controlling of the resisting suspect, and two others for finding the suspect, who was hiding on the rooftop of a three-story building. Police officers are not eligible to receive such state rewards.

Just days before the capture, the police authorities increased the amount of the monetary reward to 20 million won from the initial five million won. Busan police received an estimated 560 calls from civilians regarding the case.

Meanwhile, a 51-year-old man Friday withdrew his claim that he had taken the suspect down while he was running through the alley by stretching out his leg.

Kim Hee-woong, the chief officer at Sasang Police Station in Busan, said, "His claim turned out to be groundless."

The officer added such disputes over rewards often occur when the amount is large.

pss@koreatimes.co.kr