Medical student arrested for stealing underwear after memorizing neighbor's door code

A medical student in Seoul has been arrested and sent to prosecutors on charges of trespassing and theft after allegedly breaking into a neighbor's home to steal women's underwear. The 20-something suspect, who attends a medical university in Seoul, is accused of entering the victim's studio apartment on March 13. He reportedly memorized the door lock password used by the female resident and gained entry.

Police apprehended the suspect as a 현행범 (hyeonhaengbeom), or a person caught in the act, after the victim's boyfriend, who was inside the apartment at the time, reported the incident. Investigators discovered underwear and socks suspected to belong to other women among the trash discarded by the medical student.

During questioning, the suspect reportedly claimed that clothing other than the stolen items were gifts from an ex-girlfriend. Police had applied for an arrest warrant on March 14, which was granted by the court citing a risk of evidence destruction and flight.