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Man caught stealing hundreds of bottles of alcohol from Daegu restaurant

Published: 27 Nov. 2025, 15:29 Updated: 27 Nov. 2025, 16:23

A scene from broadcaster JTBC's current affairs show ″Crime Chief,″ in which a man is seen through CCTV footage stealing bottles of alcohol from the parking lot of a restaurant in Daegu [SCREEN CAPTURE]

A man who stole hundreds of bottles of alcohol over several months from a restaurant in Daegu was caught by the restaurant owner after a late-night stakeout. The man reportedly told police that he did it “because he was hungry.”

The restaurant owner, who runs a Korean beef restaurant in Daegu, became suspicious in September after an employee mentioned that someone seemed to be taking alcohol from the premises, according to broadcaster JTBC’s current affairs show “Crime Chief” (2014-). The owner had been storing bottles of alcohol in a corner of the restaurant’s parking lot.

After checking the security camera footage, the owner saw a man enter the lot and leave with bottles of alcohol stuffed into his bag and coat pockets.

“He came and went like he owned the place,” the owner said. “It wasn’t just once or twice. He showed up almost every day between 2 and 4 a.m. for two to three months, stealing alcohol.”

The culprit is believed to have stolen between 400 and 500 bottles, with losses estimated at around 5 million won ($3,420).

Although the restaurant owner reported the theft to the police, officers advised that a stakeout might be necessary and said they would patrol the area occasionally between 2 and 4 a.m.

Taking matters into his own hands, the owner began monitoring the parking lot at night. On Sept. 22 at around 2:30 a.m., he watched via CCTV as the culprit entered the parking lot and attempted to steal more alcohol. The owner called the police immediately, and the suspect was apprehended at the scene.

“I’m just relieved I was able to prevent further losses,” the restaurant owner said, adding that he had decided not to seek restitution after learning of the suspect’s financial situation.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JANG GU-SEUL [[email protected]]