Kang Seung-woo is the Business Desk editor at The Korea Times. Prior to this position, he covered politics, national affairs, finance and sports.
Incheon citizens show compassion for shoplifting family
By Kang Seung-woo
By Kang Seung-woo
A “Christmas miracle” already seems to be happening to a father and son caught shoplifting, as the local community, taking pity on the family for its dire circumstances, has stepped in to help.
On Tuesday, a father, 34, and a son, 12, were caught stealing two cartons of milk, six apples and some drinks in an Incheon-based store. The emotional father said he was trying to feed his hungry family, which included his aged mother and seven-year-old son.
According to police, the family receives basic living subsidies from the government and the father, a cab driver, has been unable to work for six months due to diabetes and a thyroid condition.
The store owner forgave the family and pleaded for them to receive light punishment, to which police agreed, classifying the crime as minor and releasing the offenders with a warning.
Then a police officer took the father and son to a restaurant and bought them a meal. A customer, who heard about the family's circumstances, visited the restaurant and gave the man an envelope containing 200,000 won ($170).
The heartwarming response has since continued, with a local community welfare center planning to find the father a job and the son receiving a free meal card.
Neighbors also visited the store and bought a variety of groceries ranging from instant noodles to fruits to eggs and daily necessities for the family.
The father expressed his gratitude to those who helped ― particularly the man who gave him the cash.
“Even though we do not know each other, he gave me the money. I want to meet him and express a word of thanks,” the father said.