crime

18-year-old suspected in 8 arson incidents

8 Comments

An 18-year-old youth arrested for setting fire to a garbage drop-off spot outside an apartment building in Tokyo is suspected of being involved in at least seven similar arson cases.

According to police, the suspect, who was identified through street surveillance camera footage, has been arrested on suspicion of arson and property destruction after he set fire to the garbage pile outside an apartment in Edogawa Ward at around 10 p.m. on Jan 29, Sankei Shimbun reported. The youth lives nearby, police said.

Police quoted the suspect as saying he had always been fascinated by fires and that he had shoplifted a cigarette lighter which he used to start the fire. Police said he also told them he had a bad relationship with his mother and he liked setting fires to ease his stress. He hinted at being responsible for at least seven other similar fires in the same area.

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8 Comments
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Time to give him a few months in a reformatory then let him off to start more fires. Can't possibly charge him as an adult as he does not know right from wrong until his 20th birthday.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

A sociopath is born

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Whatever the reason, the 18-year-old youth should have known what was right and wrong including arson.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

"Police said he also told them he had a bad relationship with his mother and he liked setting fires to ease his stress."

How will he improve his relationship with his mother?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

We need to help such people.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

D.a.r.k.... Stopped by here @5pm and saw some very ‘Dark Posts’. Thought the mods would, at least, help the first poster understand ‘pyrotechnics’ and not advocating ‘arson’. Thought the thread would improve with some general comments/ideas about ‘juvenile vs adult’ penalties; ‘chances at rehabilitation’, etc. But, no...the darkness continues.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Yes, it’s an art to play with fire and additionally to keep it under control. Don’t play around with fire if you don’t have the necessary knowledge for that.

-11 ( +0 / -11 )

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