Middle school girls stole credit card from parked car, went on spending spree — one below criminal age

Two middle school girls who stole a credit card from a parked vehicle and used it 11 times have been arrested. One was found to be below the age of criminal responsibility.

The Incheon Bupyeong Police Station has apprehended the two students, identified only as A and B, on charges of aggravated theft, fraud and violations of the Specialized Credit Finance Business Act, according to Yonhap News Agency on Monday.

The pair are suspected of stealing a credit card from a vehicle parked in an above-ground parking lot at an apartment complex in Bupyeong-gu, Incheon, at around 6 a.m. Sunday.

They allegedly used the stolen card to make 11 purchases, buying goods worth hundreds of thousands of won.

After receiving a report, police tracked the suspects' movements and arrested them at around 2 p.m. the same day.

The investigation revealed that one of the two is below the age of criminal responsibility — between 10 and 14 years old — and therefore not subject to criminal liability.

Police said only one of the two suspects can be formally charged. They will decide after further investigation whether to refer the other to the juvenile division of a family court.