Profiler warns Park Na-rae after burglary, 'revealing celebrity homes is dangerous'
Park Na-rae reveals her home in the MBC variety show "I Live Alone." Captured from "I Live Alone"
A profiler has warned that TV programs showing the actual homes of celebrities can lead to serious crimes, following the recent arrest of a suspect who broke into the home of television personality Park Na-rae and stole valuables.
Criminal profiler Bae Sang-hoon appeared on YTN Radio and commented on the case Tuesday, saying, "It seems the suspect was caught while police were investigating a group of career criminals targeting celebrities and influencers in the Hannam-dong area."
Bae said the break-in may have been triggered by the suspect’s ability to assess the interior layout and security setup of Park’s home. “Police seem to have been looking into a group of thieves specializing in celebrity homes around Hannam-dong. It’s likely the suspect is part of this group of professional criminals,” he said.
Bae disagreed with the suspect’s claim that they didn't know it was Park Na-rae’s house.
"It’s nearly impossible not to know. Anyone who visits the neighborhood could easily figure out it’s her home," he said. "That statement is probably a strategic move to reduce the sentence in court."
He specifically pointed to Park’s appearances on MBC’s popular reality show “I Live Alone,” in which she has frequently shown her real home, as a serious security risk. "Unlike typical celebrity home features where an agency-prepared house is shown, this program exposes the actual place where the celebrity lives, which is extremely dangerous," Bae said.
"Professional burglars can figure out the security system from just a few scenes," he continued. "What Park Na-rae did was risky. This kind of broadcasting shouldn’t happen. Even in places like Hollywood, there can be cases where burglars break into celebrity homes and end up shooting a gun. It’s dangerous not only for the celebrity but also for their family or guests who might be at home."
The Seoul Yongsan Police Station is investigating the break-in and has detained a suspect on charges of theft. The suspect is accused of stealing valuables worth tens of millions of won (tens of thousands of dollars) from Park’s residence in Yongsan District, central Seoul. Based on security camera footage and investigations into the stolen goods, police concluded the burglary happened on April 4 and were able to identify a suspect.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.