Called a Helper Through a Cleaning App, Ended Up Losing 'Van Cleef' and 'Tiffany'

Published 25 Feb.2026 16:26(KST)

Suspended Prison Sentence for Theft of Items Worth 13.72 Million Won

A helper employed through a home-service platform application that assists with cleaning, organizing, and moving was given a suspended prison sentence for stealing items worth 13,720,000 won, including a Van Cleef & Arpels necklace. On December 18, 2025, Judge Kim Woojin of the 9th Criminal Division, Seongnam Branch of the Suwon District Court sentenced A, who had been indicted on charges of theft, to 10 months in prison with 2 years of probation and ordered 80 hours of community service (Case No. 2025Godan2604).

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[Facts]

A, a cleaning helper employed through the M Cleaning App, performed cleaning work at the residence of the victim, B, located in Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, for three hours from 12:00 noon in April 2025. A was indicted on suspicion of secretly taking a Van Cleef & Arpels necklace belonging to B (market value 4,770,000 won), a Tiffany necklace (market value 6,500,000 won), a Tiffany ring (market value 1,000,000 won), another necklace (market value 750,000 won), and one Bang & Olufsen Bluetooth earbud (market value 700,000 won), for a total of about 13,720,000 won in goods.

[Court Ruling]

Judge Kim explained, "It is unfavorable to A that the nature of the crime is poor, as A stole jewelry while working as a cleaning helper, that the value of the stolen items is high, and that A has a prior criminal record for theft, having been criminally punished around October 2023."

However, Judge Kim stated that the following circumstances were favorable to A: when B demanded the return of the stolen items, A readily admitted the crime and returned all of them; A has no prior record of criminal punishment more severe than a fine; and A admitted the offense and expressed a commitment not to reoffend.