Man accused of faking subway theft to evade debt repayment

A man in his 20s was found to have made a false report claiming he was pickpocketed on the subway to delay repaying a debt, police said Sunday.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said they referred the case to the prosecution on Sept. 8, charging the man with obstruction of justice.

On June 27, the man called police and falsely reported that his bag had been slashed on the subway and 7 million won ($5,365) in cash had been stolen.

However, police later discovered through surveillance footage that the man had bought a razor blade at a convenience store and deliberately cut his own bag.

A police investigation revealed the man was attempting to delay repaying a 4.5 million won debt he owed to an acquaintance. The man even made the police report in front of the creditor after faking the theft.

Police said the man gave false statements and misled the investigation, forcing authorities to review 16 days’ worth of surveillance footage, diverting valuable police resources.

Authorities warned that filing false reports may result in criminal charges and can harm citizens who are in genuine need of police assistance during emergencies.