▲ Daejeon Metropolitan Police Agency
Police have launched an investigation after cash and valuables worth approximately 420,000 won went missing from a wallet that was being kept as lost property at a police station.
According to the Daejeon Metropolitan Police Agency on June 18, a citizen reported finding a wallet and turned it in to a police security center under the jurisdiction of the Yuseong Police Station on March 27.
At the time, the wallet contained cash and department store gift certificates worth 420,000 won. The officer in charge confirmed the amount and notified the owner, identified as A (in their 30s), of the recovery.
Relieved, A later visited the police station to retrieve the wallet, only to find that the cash and gift certificates were missing.
After receiving no clear answer regarding the whereabouts of the valuables, A reportedly filed a complaint against the officials involved on charges of theft.
Typically, when a lost item is reported at a local patrol division or security center, staff are required to deliver it directly to the lost-and-found department of the competent police station, where the assigned officer must keep it securely until the owner arrives to claim it.
In connection with this, the Daejeon Jungbu Police Station is investigating the facts, focusing on charges of embezzlement.
The police believe it is highly likely that the items were taken by an insider, as they disappeared while in police custody, and have shifted the focus of the investigation to embezzlement.
A police official stated, "We are investigating all individuals involved, from the initial intake at the Yuseong Police Station to those responsible for storage. We have not yet identified a specific suspect, so we cannot disclose further details." The official added, "Depending on the investigation results, if criminal activity is confirmed, we plan to proceed with separate internal inspections and disciplinary procedures."
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.