Man in his 50s gets 5 years for stealing jewelry from sleeping women he met at nightclubs

A court sentenced a repeat offender in his 50s to five years in prison for a series of thefts that included stealing jewelry from women he met at nightclubs while they slept and entering unlocked hotel rooms to take cash and valuables from other guests.

Judge Jo Guk-in of the Ulsan District Court's Criminal Division 5 handed down the sentence to the defendant, identified only as A, on charges of violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (theft), among other offenses.

Earlier this year, A checked into a hotel in Daejeon with a woman met at a nightclub and, while she slept, removed and took seven pieces of jewelry, including a pure gold necklace and a gold bracelet. In a separate incident at a hotel in Ulsan, A slipped away with eight pieces of jewelry — including a diamond ring and a gold ring — from another woman while she was asleep.

A also entered unlocked hotel rooms and stole cash worth several million won and credit cards from guests, and made off with cash and jewelry from restaurants and residential apartments. In one instance, A opened the rear door of a parked car and took a wallet while the driver was asleep inside.

Between March last year and February this year, A stole at least 15 million won ($11,300) worth of goods. Using stolen credit cards, A paid for drinks and food at karaoke bars and covered taxi fares.

A had already been convicted and imprisoned multiple times for similar offenses, and reoffended just six months after release.

"The defendant has shown no sincere remorse, having committed further crimes even while standing trial for theft," the court said in explaining the sentence. "It is necessary to isolate the defendant from society for a considerable period, if only to prevent additional harm."