Woman caught on CCTV stealing from convenience store during Sillim-dong fire

A video showing a woman allegedly stealing from a convenience store inside a burning building in Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul — while some 130 people were evacuating — has spread online and drawn widespread public outrage.

On Monday, footage from the store's CCTV, along with a post by the store owner describing the incident, circulated on Instagram and other SNS platforms. The fire occurred Sunday at a commercial building in Sillim-dong.

According to fire authorities, a blaze broke out at around 3:23 p.m. Sunday at a four-story commercial building in Sillim-dong, prompting about 130 people to evacuate. No casualties were reported. Firefighters fully extinguished the fire in about 40 minutes, but nearby roads were closed during the incident, causing severe traffic congestion in the area.

One witness said a loud explosion from inside the building startled them, adding they thought "a bomb had gone off."

Amid the chaos, a woman reportedly entered the burning building alone and stole items from the store.

The store owner said he repeatedly shouted warnings — "Don't go that way, there's a fire" — but the woman ignored them and headed toward the fire. "She ultimately stole items from our store," he said.

After returning to the store once the fire was out, the owner noticed some items were missing and reviewed the CCTV footage. The video shows the woman glancing around, turning her back to the camera as if aware of it, then selecting items from a shelf and placing them in her bag.

The owner said the woman "moved as if she knew exactly where everything was," and suspects she may have been a regular customer.

The owner has filed a theft report with police and submitted the CCTV footage as evidence. The Gwanak Police Station is tracking the woman on theft charges.

Online users reacted with anger, with comments including: "This reminds me of the people who stole clothes when the Sampoong Department Store collapsed"; "It's hard to believe someone would steal in a situation like that"; "The fact that she was checking the camera makes it even more chilling"; and "I hope she's identified and punished."