South Korean couple sentenced after dismantling motel computers to steal parts worth 8 million won

A couple booked motel rooms in Daejeon and allegedly arrived with cutting tools to dismantle the computers inside. A Daejeon District Court sentenced the man, in his 30s, to two years in prison and gave his wife, in her 40s, a one-year sentence suspended for two years, along with 80 hours of community service.

The couple reportedly targeted a motel in Jung-gu in February. They removed computer parts, including graphics cards, and repeated the same method five times through Feb. 25. The total value of the stolen components reached about 8 million won, according to the investigation.

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The defendants entered motels several times and stole computer parts, but they compensated the victims and reached settlements, so the victims do not want them punished.

The man faced additional charges over stealing cigarettes from a convenience store, taking 100,000 won by falsely claiming he was selling an online game account, and failing to return a rented vehicle.

The court said the couple had compensated victims and reached settlements, so the victims did not want punishment. It nevertheless imposed a heavier sentence on the man, citing the number and variety of his offenses, including the cigarette thefts.

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In the man's case, the number of offenses, including the cigarette thefts, was high and the methods were varied, so he deserves strict punishment.