Disappeared 'Gold-Value' Strawberries 2t... Police Launch Investigation Two Weeks After Report

About 2 tons of 'golden-priced strawberries' mysteriously disappeared in the middle of winter in Gimhae, Gyeongnam. However, criticism arose that the police investigation was delayed, as it took them half a month to start the investigation.

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Farmers reported immediately... but police only increased patrols?

On the 16th, the Gimhae Western Police Station reportedly began investigating the strawberry theft case by meeting with the affected farmers at the strawberry greenhouse facilities in Hallim-myeon from the afternoon of the previous day, about half a month after the incident occurred. The strawberry theft took place between December 31 of last year and January 1 of this year. Approximately 1,900 kg of strawberries disappeared all at once from 11 greenhouses across 8 farms. The estimated damage is about 25 million KRW.

The affected farmers reportedly reported the theft to the police and the township office on the 2nd, the day after the incident. However, the police did not immediately start an investigation. Instead, they only conducted patrols around the affected farms.

The township office and police stated that the farmers did not actively request an investigation at the time of the theft. While the police admitted to starting a full investigation belatedly, they explained that they had complied with the farmers' request for increased patrols at the time of the report.

Investigation begins after media reports... farmers sleep in farm huts to protect crops

After media coverage of the incident began on the 15th, the police deployed two criminal investigation teams to the affected farms to interview the farmers and secure evidence such as CCTV footage from the farms and nearby road entrances and exits. The police are analyzing the secured CCTV and conducting investigations targeting nearby strawberry street vendors.

The police and township office suspect that multiple perpetrators entered the greenhouses at dawn, using hiking headlamps to pick strawberries directly, and took entire harvested strawberry crates intended for shipment to the market. Considering that the strawberry field furrows were not severely damaged after the incident, they believe the perpetrators are knowledgeable about farming.

Due to the police's 'delayed response,' the affected farmers have been sleeping in cramped farm huts even in the freezing winter to protect their crops. Local civilian Marine Corps veterans' associations have also joined patrol activities.

The affected farmers expressed frustration, saying, "Who would tell us not to pursue an active investigation when such a large amount of golden-priced strawberries disappeared at once?" and "Strawberries are perishable, and half a month has passed since the incident, so all evidence must have disappeared. It is absurd to start a frantic investigation so late."

Meanwhile, winter strawberries grown in greenhouses incur high costs for heating oil, electricity, and labor, and their market price is also high, making the damage even more severe. Recently, winter strawberry prices have risen by 30% compared to the same period last year, reaching about 20,000 KRW per kilogram, earning them the nickname 'golden-priced strawberries.'

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