Crimes of survival on the rise

With worsening economic conditions, a growing number of people are becoming criminals. Among them are burglars who failed to get a job or housewives stealing foodstuffs in markets.

The so-called ¡°hunger theft¡± or crimes as a means of living, which this country witnessed two years ago, when its was hit by the foreign exchange crisis, have appeared again in line with the falling economy.

In particular, the crimes committed as a means of living are intended to solve their problem of hunger, so it is a serious problem, reflecting the nation's social welfare level.

On Dec. 14, a housewife in her 40s was caught by police on charges of stealing two fishes and shampoo. She has been working at a restaurant and living in a rented room with her 19-year-old son. With the economic recession, she lost her job at the restaurant last September.

She was unable to make a living unless she works, but she couldn't find a job. She told police that she felt sorry that her son hadn't had decent meal, although he is going out to submit applications for college entrance exams Friday. "As he likes fish stew, I instantly thought of stealing the fishes," she said. Poverty and hunger have driven her to become a criminal.

A 34-year-old man named Kim, who was caught by police on charges of burglary, is another case. Kim lost his job last June. Ever since, he has been looking for a job, but he failed to find one.

On Nov. 25, he happened to find a house in Chonho-dong that was wide open. He entered the house and has stolen 130,000 won placed on furniture. However, he was caught by the owners of the house as they returned home.

A policeman who investigated Kim said that he must be a first-time offender because he didn't touched anything except the cash. When asked why he stole the money, Kim said that he badly needed it, adding that he regrets what he did.

According to the police, the number of thefts during the first 11 months of this year soared to 157,483 from last year's 89,394. Considering the fact that stealing is rising at the year¡¯s end and at the beginning of the year, it is likely that the total number of thefts will more than double.

Yet it is believed to be more serious in reality. A police investigator said that more than a half of thefts these days are committed by first-time offenders, noting that they are mostly stealing petty cash or living necessities. It means that most of these crimes are committed by instant desire for cash or as a simple means of living.

"The increase of hunger crimes is a phenomenon that is happening due to the lack of a social safety net for those who lost jobs and are faced with difficulties in daily living,¡± Kim Dong-Bae, professor of social welfare at Yonsei University said. ¡°We shouldn't see them as failures. At the same time, the government is required to expand a social safety net for poor people, including a retraining program for them and payment of unemployment allowances."