Victim in her 50s releases CCTV footage

Chinese woman in her 30s sought revenge over workplace nagging

Not directly related to the article. [AI-generated image]
Not directly related to the article. [AI-generated image]

A Chinese woman in her 30s who sprayed red lacquer paint across a car parked in an Incheon shopping complex was sentenced to six months in prison and taken into custody in the courtroom, despite tearfully pleading for leniency before the judge.

She carried out the attack in retaliation against a colleague in her 50s who had scolded her at the restaurant where they both worked.

According to JTBC's "Sageon Banjang," a crime news program that aired Wednesday, the victim — identified only as A — recounted how her former coworker, identified as B, had targeted her. "So this is what a psychopath is," A said. "It gave me chills."

The incident came to light on June 29, when A's car was found severely damaged in the underground parking lot of a shopping complex in Songdo-dong, Yeonsu-gu.

A had gone down to the parking lot for a break during her shift when she discovered that someone had sprayed red lacquer paint across her white sedan, scrawling profanities and insults on it. The side mirror had been smashed, and scratch marks from a sharp object were visible across the body of the car. A wad of tissue had been thrown onto the windshield.

When A reviewed the closed-circuit television footage, she saw a woman wearing a mask and hat — concealing her face — pull out a weapon, strike the side mirror and spray the lacquer. A recognized her immediately as B, a former coworker from the same restaurant.

The two had clashed at work. A said she had muttered to herself about B, who had joined the restaurant later, saying she wished B would "hurry up and clear things away." B overheard the remark and snapped back, "Are you talking to me right now? Do you think I'm just sitting around doing nothing?"

B subsequently quit, telling coworkers she was leaving because of A.

The day before the vandalism, A had run into B in the parking lot, and B had been wearing the same outfit later captured on the CCTV footage from the attack.

"When our eyes met, she looked away, and I thought to myself: why is someone who isn't even working here waiting around?" A said. "I never imagined she was stalking me with a weapon, lacquer spray and tissue hidden in her bag."

After being arrested, B admitted to the offense, telling police she had acted because A had disrespected her.

In court, B reportedly wept and claimed she had been driven to it by workplace harassment. Prosecutors had sought a one-year sentence.

Late last month, the court of first instance sentenced B to six months in prison on aggravated property destruction charges and ordered her taken into custody on the spot. "The defendant resolved to commit this crime because she had been nagged by the victim," the court said, "and damaged the victim's vehicle using a weapon and spray she had prepared in advance."


jshan@heraldcorp.com