After Goo Hara‘s 49-day memorial, a thief broke into her home early in the morning on January 14, 2020, and took a safe containing important documents and an old phone. Other valuable items were left untouched. Over 4 years have passed, but the police have yet to identify the thief.
In the June 22 episode of the investigative program “Unanswered Questions”, the production team revealed a sketch of the thief who broke into Goo Hara’s house. With the help of AI technology, a police sketch artist compiled the thief’s features from CCTV footage.
The thief is estimated to be in his 20s-30s, around 1.75 meters (5.7ft) tall, wearing round metal-framed glasses, BoA Closure System shoes with adjustable laces, and a jacket with a waist tie. After the program aired, many people unexpectedly named singer Zico as the thief due to the similarities in their appearances. Netizens even compared Zico’s photo side-by-side with the police sketch, asserting their resemblance.
This image has sparked mixed reactions online. So far, many have called for netizens to avoid speculation without solid evidence, while Zico’s management company has officially responded to this rumor.
Previously, some people suspected Goo Ho-in, Goo Hara’s brother, to be the thief. However, this theory was quickly dismissed as Goo Ho-in had full control over his sister’s house and had even changed the password. If he wanted to take anything, he could have done so openly rather than breaking in like a thief. Goo Ho-in has also been actively cooperating with the police investigation, providing CCTV footage and clues to help find the thief.
Meanwhile, back on January 11, 2020, Goo Hara’s family held her 49-day memorial at her home. Two days later (January 13), her brother packed up and returned to his house. At 12:15 AM on January 14, an unidentified man broke into Goo Hara’s home, stole a safe, and fled.
According to expert Goo Jae-mo from the Institute of Forensic and Digital Imaging Research, the thief was not a professional, as his actions were clumsy. However, several details suggest the thief was familiar with Goo Hara and knew the layout of her house. Initially, the thief climbed over the outer wall of Goo Hara’s house and covered a camera with leaves upon noticing it. He then tried to enter through the front door but failed and temporarily left.
At 12:30 AM, another CCTV captured a man crossing Goo Hara’s front yard, trying to open the door with a password but failing. He then pressed his face against a large window to look inside. Confirming no one was home, he climbed into the house through the second-floor balcony, went straight to the dressing room, took the safe, and left other valuable items behind. The safe was said to have contained important documents and Goo Hara’s old mobile phone.
A former roommate of Goo Hara and her brother discovered the missing safe in April. She said that after Goo Hara passed away, only she and Goo Hara’s brother knew the door password had been changed. The thief used the old password, 2**2.
Goo Hara’s brother also confirmed, “This person knew the layout of the house well. No one could have navigated it so quickly on their first visit. He knew we didn’t lock the balcony door, and Goo Hara didn’t lock the door between her bedroom and dressing room because she frequently moved between them. We turned off the security system for that door, and the thief knew our habits.”
There are two CCTV clips of the intruder. However, after careful review, experts concluded that the thief was the same person in both clips. In the footage, the thief wore the same jacket, shoes, and exhibited similar behavior and mannerisms.
Immediately after discovering the incident, Goo Hara’s brother reported it to the police but with no results. Other CCTV footage that could have identified the thief was erased. Black boxes from other CCTVs in the area were overwritten with new data unrelated to the case. Based on expert observations, Dispatch has created a sketch of the thief and hopes readers can provide clues.
Sources: Allkpop, Dispatch, K14