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dairyairy
Joined: 17 May 2012
Location: South Korea
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 Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2012 3:03 pm Post subject: 51 Homeplus guards caught extorting shoplifters |
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http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/Article.aspx?aid=2962450
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The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said yesterday it rounded up 51 security guards employed by the nation�s second-largest supermarket chain and arrested three chief guards on charges of blackmailing shoplifters for over 1 million won each time, raking in nearly 200 million won from about 130 victims over a two-year period, from July 2010 until July this year.
The 51 suspected guards are reportedly from three security companies working at 10 Homeplus branches in Seoul, Incheon and other areas in Gyeonggi. The police also booked 13 heads of Homeplus branches and four employers at the group�s headquarters without physical detention for violating laws related to guard activity by tacitly permitting such illegal activities.
The investigators said that of the total amount of 200 million won extorted by the suspects, 150 million won was allegedly used by Homeplus branch heads to cover losses incurred by other thefts or damage done to store goods. The remaining 50 million won was shared among the three arrested chief guards who oversaw the alleged blackmail operation.
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Zackback
Joined: 05 Nov 2010
Location: Kyungbuk
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| Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2012 3:46 pm Post subject: |
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Every time a security guard company was hired to work somewhere and all the details of what they would monitor and check were explained I always remember one guy would always ask "Who's watching security"?
They don't pay the guards enough at Home Plus anyway. The big boys at Home Plus make a killing with cash but they want White House Security at welfare prices. So.....you get what you pay for.
This holds true virtually everywhere else I suppose so I'm not shocked. The real thieves and crooks run the show. The money that these guards and others get away with is simply pocket change. |
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JustinC
Joined: 10 Mar 2012
Location: We Are The World!
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| Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2012 6:03 pm Post subject: |
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Count me as another who's not surprised that supermarkets lose some goods via pilfering. It's not uncommon or limited to Korea, it happens in large stores everywhere.
It is probably surprising to some NETs as none of us have criminal convictions so we haven't either committed these crimes or been friends with people who do, but it happens on a daily basis. Shoplifters are prevalent throughout society and some of the worst offenders are wealthy and/or have police in their family or close friends.
Back home when you're a teen you don't realise the extra problems having a criminal record will give you but here we're all too aware that it will damage our earning potential and reputation. In Homeplus the security will let me wander around with a backpack filled with goods (before I reach the tills), I like to think this is because they trust foreigners but maybe it's their way of encouraging theft so they can extort a ransom. |
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tatertot
Joined: 21 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2012 7:43 pm Post subject: |
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| I'm glad that the security guards are being punished (I guess), but I don't feel any sympathy for the victims. |
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alongway
Joined: 02 Jan 2012
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| Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 7:08 am Post subject: |
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How exactly did they "Extort" the money?
Korea has a concept of blood money..
pay us and we won't press charges
That's completely legal
If they caught people shop-lifting and told them to pay or be charged, and they paid to not be charged.. I'm not sure where the crime is? |
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young_clinton
Joined: 09 Sep 2009
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| Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 7:13 am Post subject: |
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| I would rather be extorted than face a misdemeanor for shoplifting along with the Police and Court record. With a record you can say goodbye to just about any decent job that can be had for the next 7 years. |
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Dave Chance
Joined: 30 May 2011
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| Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 7:36 am Post subject: |
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| Zackback wrote: |
Every time a security guard company was hired to work somewhere and all the details of what they would monitor and check were explained I always remember one guy would always ask "Who's watching security"?
They don't pay the guards enough at Home Plus anyway. The big boys at Home Plus make a killing with cash but they want White House Security at welfare prices. So.....you get what you pay for.
This holds true virtually everywhere else I suppose so I'm not shocked. The real thieves and crooks run the show. The money that these guards and others get away with is simply pocket change. |
Whoa, the Zacker getting down with the heavy stuff.
Feel free to take your shirt off if it gets too hot  |
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Zackback
Joined: 05 Nov 2010
Location: Kyungbuk
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| Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 2:05 pm Post subject: |
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If I don't take it off I don't feel free  |
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dairyairy
Joined: 17 May 2012
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 2:25 pm Post subject: |
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| alongway wrote: |
How exactly did they "Extort" the money?
Korea has a concept of blood money..
pay us and we won't press charges
That's completely legal
If they caught people shop-lifting and told them to pay or be charged, and they paid to not be charged.. I'm not sure where the crime is? |
3 million won "blood money" for some popsicles? That's extortion. |
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Zackback
Joined: 05 Nov 2010
Location: Kyungbuk
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| Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 2:26 pm Post subject: |
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| Then insist on being arrested instead. |
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Stan Rogers
Joined: 20 Aug 2010
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| Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 3:10 pm Post subject: |
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| The shoplifters were probably career shoplifters aka professional shoplifters who were known to have fleeced the store repeatedly already. I bet management had security just waiting for these people to show their faces back in the store again. It wasn't about extortion, it was about payback. |
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alongway
Joined: 02 Jan 2012
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| Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 3:24 pm Post subject: |
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| dairyairy wrote: |
| alongway wrote: |
How exactly did they "Extort" the money?
Korea has a concept of blood money..
pay us and we won't press charges
That's completely legal
If they caught people shop-lifting and told them to pay or be charged, and they paid to not be charged.. I'm not sure where the crime is? |
3 million won "blood money" for some popsicles? That's extortion. |
No one forced them to pay it. They could have decided not to pay it and dealt with the police instead.
The person demanding blood money can make any kind of demand they want. The person who wronged them can pay or take their chances.
I'm still failing to see any extortion. |
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Otherside
Joined: 06 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 3:48 pm Post subject: |
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| Obviously, someone high up wasn't getting his cut. |
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Stan Rogers
Joined: 20 Aug 2010
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| Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 4:50 pm Post subject: |
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| Otherside wrote: |
| Obviously, someone high up wasn't getting his cut. |
My guess is someone high up at Homeplus was going to get cut if he didn't recoup the shoplifting losses. |
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goreality
Joined: 09 Jul 2009
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| Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2012 4:33 am Post subject: |
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| It's extortion because the police and prosecutors were not first informed of the crime that was apparently committed. They should be informed of the deal that was made too before they close the case or decide if they should continue with charges. Blood money system isn't the wild west style justice that a lot of people think it is. |
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