Opinion | Beijing police treatment of Korean thieves sparks fierce online criticism

Sightseeing is no longer enough for some foreign tourists in Beijing; at least not for a group of Korean students who decided to rob a convenience store on Thursday.

But what angered local people most was not the crime but the way the incident was handled by police.

After having dinner in a nearby restaurant, a group of 30 Korean students walked into the “Good Neighbour” convenience store in Beijing’s eastern Zuo Jia Zhuang area, according to local media.

They took snacks, cigarettes and alcohol worth more than 1,700 yuan （HK$ 2110）, said the store’s cashier Ms Huang.

When the group rushed out of the store without paying, Ms Huang called for help.

Locals were alarmed and surrounded a bus the students had boarded.

The police arrived 15 minutes later and retrieved the stolen goods but did not press charges, according to local reports.