What Police Did for an Octogenarian Who Stole Red Bean Bread for Her Ill Husband

Caring for Husband with Chronic Illness for 20 Years Led to Financial Hardship
Police Provided Support After Summary Trial, Connecting Her to Welfare Center

A story has emerged of the police lending a helping hand to an octogenarian who stole red bean bread for her husband due to financial hardship.

Red bean bread. The photo is not directly related to the article content. Pixabay Pixabay

According to the Goyang Police Station in Gyeonggi Province on May 9, an 80-something woman, referred to as Ms. A, was apprehended on suspicion of stealing five red bean breads from a bakery in Goyang City at around 2:00 p.m. on April 2.

At the time, Ms. A entered the bakery alone and left with the bread without paying. During the police investigation, she reportedly stated, "My husband loves red bean bread, and I wanted to give it to him, but I had no money." Upon receiving the report, Chief Detective Kwon Bongsoo instructed the investigating officer to visit Ms. A’s residence.

The home visit revealed that Ms. A is a recipient of basic livelihood support and has been caring for her husband, who has suffered from a chronic illness for about 20 years, all while struggling financially. The police referred Ms. A's case to the Minor Offenses Review Committee, sought leniency, and handed it over to a summary trial. A summary trial is an expedited legal procedure in which a judge can quickly issue a sentence at the request of the police chief for minor offenses, bypassing formal criminal court proceedings. Depending on the judge’s decision, leniency such as suspension of sentence may be granted.

The police, understanding Ms. A’s circumstances, chose to provide support rather than pursue punishment. They visited the local administrative welfare center to connect her with emergency living expense assistance. This support program offers temporary relief supplies and care services for residents facing crisis situations, such as livelihood difficulties.

A police official said, "While we must respond to crime in principle, we also believe it is important to consider the hardships faced by socially vulnerable individuals and those driven to crime by necessity," adding, "We will continue to pay close attention to ensure that neighbors in crisis receive the support they need."

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