"Please Save Me"...The Heartbreaking Story of a 70-Year-Old Who Lost Their Bag

Lost Backpack Near Gyeyang Station on the 8th
13 Days Since Loss, Still No Contact

A man in his 70s who lost a bag containing a USB with photos of his wife, who passed away two years ago, and a laptop, appealed by posting a flyer asking, "Please return it with the heart of saving a life," evoking sympathy.

On the 21st, various online communities saw a netizen upload a photo of an A4 paper along with a post titled "I teared up a little yesterday at Incheon Gyeyang Station."

Posts posted around Gyeyang Station in Incheon. [Photo by online community]

The note included a contact number and read, "On December 8th, I left a backpack containing a laptop by the roadside near Gyeyang Station and went home by car, losing the bag," and "If you return it with the heart of saving a life, I will surely reward you."

The 76-year-old man revealed, "Among the contents of the backpack, several USBs contain materials related to my late wife who passed away earlier, as well as a phone she used and other items necessary for her daily life," and earnestly pleaded, "Please save them."

Netizens Who Heard the Story Share It on SNS

Moved by the story, netizens shared the post on various social networking services (SNS) and online communities.

Following this, Yonhap News also began an investigation. According to Yonhap News, the person who posted the flyer near Gyeyang Station is a 76-year-old man named Go. In a phone interview with the media, Mr. Go said, "The USBs in the bag contain photos and videos of my wife who passed away two years ago, as well as pictures of the funeral hall and her grave," adding, "Since these are truly precious items, I really want to get them back."

Mr. Go printed and posted the flyer in 10 locations around Gyeyang Station himself. However, even on the 13th day since the loss, he has not found the bag.

Regarding the circumstances of losing the bag, Mr. Go explained that on the 8th, he went on a business trip to Seosan, Chungnam, and took his son's car at Gyeyang Station to return home to Gimpo. During this process, he forgot the bag which he had briefly placed by the roadside and lost it.

Mr. Go's wife, who had been with him for 49 years, battled breast cancer and suddenly collapsed at a gathering of acquaintances in October 2021, passing away at the age of 73.

Mr. Go said, "The laptop is a high-priced product worth nearly 3 million won, so I reported it to the police, but there has been no contact yet," and added, "I hope whoever found the bag will contact me even now."

Netizens who heard the story responded with comments such as "I really hope it is found," "My heart truly aches," and "The desperation is palpable, making it even more heartbreaking."

Handling Items Found on the Street Carelessly Can Lead to Charges of Embezzlement of Lost Property

Picking up items dropped on the street or placed by the roadside without permission can result in charges of embezzlement of lost property. Embezzlement of lost property is a crime that occurs when someone misappropriates lost, adrift, or another person's property that has left their possession. According to the Criminal Act, it is punishable by imprisonment for up to one year or a fine of up to 3 million won.
[Photo source=Pixabay]

Meanwhile, picking up items dropped on the street or left by the roadside carelessly can lead to charges of embezzlement of lost property.

Embezzlement of lost property is a crime established when someone embezzles lost or adrift property or property that has left another person's possession. According to criminal law, it is punishable by imprisonment of up to one year or a fine of up to 3 million won.

Even if the person who picked up the item thought it was "discarded property," if the original owner asserts ownership, the person cannot avoid punishment. Therefore, one should avoid touching items on the roadside carelessly, and if they do pick something up, they should hand it over to the nearest police station.

If the item was found not on the street but in a specific place with a manager, such as a cafe, bank, or PC room, theft charges may apply instead of embezzlement of lost property. In this case, even if the item is classified as "lost property" and the owner is not present at the scene, the item is considered under the control of the person managing the place, and taking it without permission is regarded as theft.

The punishment for theft is more severe than for embezzlement of lost property, with imprisonment of up to six years or a fine of up to 10 million won.

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