Despite the 49-day memorial for Goo Hara, a thief entered her home in the early hours of January 14, 2020 and stole a safe containing crucial documents and an old phone. While other valuable items were left untouched, the police have still not been able to identify the culprit after more than 4 years.
During the June 22 broadcast of the investigative program “Unanswered Questions”, the production team unveiled a composite sketch of the burglar who had broken into Goo Hara’s residence. Through the use of AI technology, a skilled police sketch artist was able to gather the suspect’s physical characteristics from CCTV footage.
The suspect is believed to be a man in his 20s-30s, standing at around 1.75 meters (5.7ft) tall. He was described as wearing round metal-framed glasses, BoA Closure System shoes with adjustable laces, and a jacket with a waist tie. Following the broadcast of the program, numerous individuals surprisingly pointed to singer Zico as the perpetrator, citing the striking similarities in their physical features. Online users even shared a side-by-side comparison of Zico’s photo and the police sketch, emphasizing their resemblance.
The image has caused a variety of responses on the internet. Numerous individuals have urged others to refrain from speculating without concrete proof, and Zico has yet to address the rumors.
Despite initial suspicions, Goo Ho-in, the brother of Goo Hara, was quickly cleared of any involvement in the theft. This was due to the fact that Goo Ho-in had complete access to his sister’s home and had even changed the security code. If he had wanted to take anything, he could have done so openly without resorting to breaking in. In fact, Goo Ho-in has been actively assisting the police in their investigation by providing them with CCTV footage and valuable clues.
On January 11, 2020, Goo Hara’s family held her 49-day memorial at her home. Two days later (January 13), her brother returned to his house. In the early hours of January 14, at 12:15 AM, an unknown man broke into Goo Hara’s home, stole a safe, and quickly escaped.
Expert Goo Jae-mo from the Institute of Forensic and Digital Imaging Research stated that the perpetrator did not possess professional skills, evident from their clumsy actions. However, certain clues indicate that the thief had prior knowledge of Goo Hara and was familiar with the layout of her residence. The thief’s initial attempt involved scaling the outer wall of Goo Hara’s house and concealing a camera with leaves upon discovery. Following this, the thief attempted to enter through the front door but was unsuccessful and left temporarily.
At 12:30 AM, a different CCTV footage showed a man attempting to enter Goo Hara’s residence by trying various passwords on the front door. After failing, he proceeded to peer through a large window to check for any occupants. Upon confirming that the house was empty, he accessed the second-floor balcony and entered the dressing room where he took a safe containing important documents and Goo Hara’s old mobile phone. Other valuable items were left untouched.
In April, a former roommate of Goo Hara and her brother found the missing safe. She revealed that after Goo Hara’s passing, only she and Goo Hara’s brother were aware that the door password had been altered. The thief was able to open the safe using the previous password, 2**2.
According to Goo Hara’s brother, the individual was familiar with the layout of their house. It seemed unlikely that they could have navigated it so swiftly on their initial visit. They were aware of the fact that the balcony door was not locked and that Goo Hara often moved between her bedroom and dressing room without securing the door between them. The security system for that door had been deactivated, and the thief seemed to have knowledge of their daily routines.
After careful examination, experts determined that the intruder in both CCTV clips was the same individual. The thief can be seen wearing the same jacket and shoes in both clips, and their behavior and mannerisms were also identical.
After discovering the incident, Goo Hara’s brother promptly reported it to the police but unfortunately, no progress was made. The thief could have been identified through other CCTV footage, but it was already erased. Furthermore, the black boxes from other CCTVs in the vicinity were overwritten with unrelated data. In light of expert analysis, Dispatch has generated a sketch of the thief and is appealing to readers for any possible leads.
The sources for this information are Allkpop, Dispatch, and K14.
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