'Only Cars with Open Doors'... Teenage Car Thief Driving 240km Through City Without License Finally Sentenced to Prison

Vehicle Theft (PG) [Image Source = Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Eun-young] A teenager who chose vehicles with unlocked doors to steal cash and other items, and drove around Cheongju city using the stolen cars, was sentenced to prison.

On the 11th, Judge Jeong Yeon-ju of the Criminal Division 5 at Cheongju District Court announced that A (19), who was detained and prosecuted on charges of theft, illegal use of a vehicle, and violations of the Road Traffic Act, was sentenced to 8 months in prison.

A was tried for stealing a Tucson passenger car and a BMW passenger car from apartment parking lots in Jeungpyeong-gun, Chungbuk Province, on two occasions: November 13 and 25 of last year.

It was also confirmed that A is suspected of stealing 150,000 won in cash from a Santa Fe passenger car parked in an apartment parking lot in Jeungpyeong-gun on October 9 of the same year, with the door left open.

A targeted only vehicles with keys left in the ignition or doors unlocked, and was found to have driven a total of 240 km over seven occasions without a driver's license.

Judge Jeong explained the sentencing rationale, saying, "Since the defendant committed this crime immediately after receiving juvenile protection measures for similar offenses, appropriate punishment was unavoidable," but added, "The sentence was determined considering the fact that the defendant reached settlements with the victims."

A appealed against this ruling.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.