A 20s Individual Who Broke into a Warehouse and Was Acquitted... What's the Reason?
- Input
- 2025-08-26 05:50:00
- Updated
- 2025-08-26 05:50:00
Unclear End of Partnership
Even if Ended, Hard to Rule Out the Possibility of Unaware Entry
"Cannot Prove Criminal Facts"
According to the legal community on the 26th, the Seoul Northern District Court's Criminal Division 14 (Judge Kang Kyungmuk) acquitted Mr. A (28), who was charged with breaking and entering, on the 12th.
Mr. A was brought to trial for entering the warehouse of victim Mr. B in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, around 1:10 AM on March 13 last year, with the intent to retrieve his coffee machine.
It was investigated that Mr. A had received permission from Mr. B to freely enter and store items in the warehouse around September 2023. Mr. A and his friend Mr. C had entered the warehouse several times since then, even informing the victim of their late-night or early-morning entries.
The court found it unclear whether the partnership ended on March 9 last year. Mr. B claimed that the partnership ended on that date, preventing Mr. A from entering the warehouse. However, according to the court, the contract submitted by Mr. B had no information in the contract parties' section. Mr. B testified that he couldn't get Mr. A's signature after drafting the contract because Mr. A avoided contact, but Mr. A's call records showed no calls from Mr. B. No evidence of contact was found.
The court also considered the possibility that Mr. A entered the warehouse without knowing the partnership had ended. According to the prosecution, Mr. B testified that he only discussed the partnership's end with his uncle Mr. D and did not inform Mr. A directly. There was no evidence that Mr. D informed Mr. A of the partnership's end.
The court ruled, "This case falls under the absence of proof of criminal facts, and thus acquits according to the latter part of Article 325 of the Criminal Procedure Act."
jyseo@fnnews.com Seo Ji-yoon Reporter