High school student arrested for gold bar theft; middle school lookout detained

A jewelry store in Jongno, Seoul, became the scene of a brazen theft when two students, one in high school and another in middle school, allegedly stole a gold bar valued at 7.5 million won. The incident, which occurred on July 17, has led to their arrest and subsequent legal proceedings.

The alleged crime unfolded when the high school student requested to examine a 10-don gold bar. After being shown the item, the student reportedly snatched it and fled. The store owner pursued the suspect for approximately 70 meters before apprehending them and handing them over to the police. A knife was also discovered in the high school student's possession during the arrest.

Police also arrested the middle school student, who was allegedly acting as a lookout outside the jewelry store. Both students were booked on charges of special theft. Authorities applied for arrest warrants for both individuals, but the court ultimately approved the warrant only for the middle school student.

The court cited concerns about potential evidence tampering as the reason for detaining the middle school student. However, the court determined that the high school student, who directly committed the theft, did not pose a risk of destroying evidence, leading to their release.