2 youths busted for posing for Twitter photos on top of patrol car

Police say some scratches were found on the bonnet of the car, resulting in a charge of property damage.

Oh cmon...let em go! Let em go! Considering the bs that we have to put it up with by the police, I think the police should give a free pass on this.

Arrested?! A little over the top, no?

Seems to be a prank at best and as such should require a fine or something similar. Plus, the Koban Boys (all 5 of them!) didn't have a clue. Not that I'm surprised, though, but shouldn't they be reprimanded for not knowing what's going on in the very vicinity, AKA not doing their job?

"Some scratches were found on the bonnet of the car"

I highly doubt this.

So the cops think a belated arrest, prompted only because they were humiliated, is going to somehow make up for their ineptitude? Figures.

Come on now, they’re just youths. Kids will be kids.

A year or months from now they will be adults then their attitude will change, right?

They will become productive members (see drones) of Japan Inc.

Not again, they're 19 years old!!! So these stupid bastards sit "on" the patrol car and now they're arrested and they sit "in "the patrol car. LMAO!

Come on now, they're just youths. Kids will be kids.

Please tell me where your car or apartment etc is and I will climb all over it for a just so hilarious prank. I'm not underage though...will you look on it less favourably now?

Community service should bring an end to this moronship.

Youth is wasted on the young!

I am confused, police cars are public property..thats a wrongful arrest!

And the 5 cops inside the Koban were? Sleeping? It's a prank and definite overreaction by the jcops.

The koban parking lot, where the car in question was parked, is not in front of the koban but on the windowless side, so it is in the blind spot. The police officers would not be able to see it unless they intentionally went out.

Please tell me where your car or apartment etc is and I will climb all over it for a just so hilarious prank.

This is not a private vehicle but one paid for with our tax money. I, as a tax payer, think arrest is over the top. This is little different than climbing on a statue in a public park as far as I am concerned. A berating is in order, but not an arrest.

And as someone who has watched punks zig zag down the road on their scooters and motorcycles followed by police who just calmly announce its bad and dangerous, and having no doubt they all got away, yes I think this is an over the top response.

Cop's are useless if they can't even see or hear this happening

@Zybster No camera monitoring the parking spot?

Police say some scratches were found on the bonnet of the car, resulting in a charge of property damage.

Although it does seem like a light-hearted prank. Causing damage to a police vehicle can be seen as a slippery slope to other much more serious crimes.

They are youth so people need not to get their panties in a bunch about getting arrested. They were probably released soon after.

"Although there were five officers in the police box at the time, none of them noticed the incident taking place, TBS reported"

Victimless incident, not a crime. Just slightly embarrassed stooges in uniform.

Although there were five officers in the police box at the time, none of them noticed the incident taking place, TBS reported.

What idiots.. the police that is. As for the kids, it took some balls to pull that prank. Let them off with a warning.

The police officers would not be able to see it unless they intentionally went out.

So what exactly are the 5 cops inside the Koban doing? Isn't it a police officer's job to "go out" and not only arrest perpetrators after a crime is committed, but be seen among the community and act as a deterrent to crime? Sure 1 can stay behind in the Koban to make a fresh pot of coffee, but what are the other 4 doing there?

What a useless waste of tax-payer money they are.

Boys will be boys. They liked being in the spotlight.

From all the Japanese media noise about this I assumed it was police officers themselves posing - now I check here....and WTF? just local boys? Media/Police overkill. "And in other news the nuclear puddle is getting a bit bigger..."

This is hardly worthy of a news item.

The koban parking lot, where the car in question was parked, is not in front of the koban but on the windowless side, so it is in the blind spot. The police officers would not be able to see it unless they intentionally went out.

source? or should we all just take your word for it?

Police say some scratches were found on the bonnet of the car, resulting in a charge of property damage.

WOW!!!! Cops will make up just about anything to try to maintain their pride and get one-upmanship against the common citizen. The words of a particular N.W.A. song are recalled when reading this article.

There is a boom now in these so-called "baka-shashin" which tells me the dumbing down of Japan has reached a tipping point.

These kids are douches and disrespect the police. Not only that, they are stupid enough to post it online...duh!

source? or should we all just take your word for it?

http://www.fnn-news.com/news/headlines/articles/CONN00252587.html

It doesn't show the actual car or the spot it was parked in. But as you can see, there are spaces to the side in back that are definitely not in view from the windows.

This is ridiculous. The police are just trying to make a point on their embarrassment. This is typical kid activity. They didn't vandalize the car. Scratches??? Yeah right, I would like to see these supposed scratches. With all the police harassment, camera looking up girls skirts, fondling girls on trains, fights, being caught on girls balconies, etc. (the list goes on and on), you would think that these police would see the fun in this. Five officers were in the Police Box and not a single one of them noticed this going on. What were they doing, having social hour instead of fighting real crime or patrolling the streets?

Police say some scratches were found on the bonnet of the car

How do they know the scratches weren't there before the kids got on top? Considering it is a police car, the scratches could have come from anywhere and anytime.

Just have the kids wash police cars for a couple of weekends.

My only thought to defend the cops is that perhaps these are some known arseholes and now they finally have something that they can at least pin them with, BECAUSE THE ARSEHOLES POSTED IT ON TWITTER.

How do they know the scratches weren't there before the kids got on top? Considering it is a police car, the scratches could have come from anywhere and anytime.

On the roof?

Although there were five officers in the police box at the time, none of them noticed the incident taking place,

This is the bit that cracks me up the most!

Although there were five officers in the police box at the time, none of them noticed the incident taking place, TBS reported.

The moral of the story: if you're going to commit a crime, do it on the roof of a police car... they'll never catch you as long as you don't post a photo of the deed on some social media website. lol.

On the roof?

For example, a cat could have jumped on the roof and done it. Or someone who just doesn't like the cops for whatever reason (there are obviously many reasons, but I won't get into that because that would be off-topic) could have done it while the cops were in the donut shop. And so on... the possibilities can be many. The truth is that there is no proof that the kids made the scratches. No one saw the kids scratch the roof (certainly not the 5 cops inside the car). And the picture of the kids on the roof doesn't prove anything other than the fact that they were on the roof of the cop car. Let's say for example, someone kid kicks a small dent into a car door, and later you unknowingly lean against the car door right where the dent is without noticing the dent. Someone then posts a picture of you leaning against the car door. If the picture was enough proof, then you must be the culprit... even though we know you aren't.

The police are just trying to make a point on their embarrassment.

Oh I see. Actually what they have said that one of the reasons for proceeding with arrest was to prevent copy cat incidents. Scratches and marks of 10 to 20 cm. That's property damage regardless of how cool rebellion they are.

It doesn't help when you boast about it with the photos. Comments along the lines of disorderly young punks messing up the cop car.

If it's so cool offer up your car for them to play with. Rebel against the system man. This conformity is just choking me.

(certainly not the 5 cops inside the car)

Edit: Should read "certainly not the 5 cops in the police box".

For example, a cat could have jumped on the roof and done it. Or someone who just doesn't like the cops for whatever reason

Yes, but it is much more likely that it was the people who were caught actually being on top of the roof rather than things we can only imagine might have happened. It is also possible the youths have admitted to scratching it.

Instead of incarceation (if that is what these two idiots will get) how about spending the next 200 hrs of community service washing and waxing police vehicles?

It would have been cooler if the cop car was moving, but these incriminating selfie stunts are getting goofier.

give the kids some primer wax and have them buff out the scratches and wax all the cars in the parking lot and then just call it even. Win win situation.

what a RAT! I hate rats! who would call the cops for this thing???

Yes, but it is much more likely that it was the people who were caught actually being on top of the roof rather than things we can only imagine might have happened.

True (though the kids being the culprit is not THAT much more likely... just a little more likely). But, as you can see from the example I have given earlier, it is still not enough.

Here's another example (a real life example from my personal experience). I myself have been a victim of the "more likely" way of thinking. When I was a kid (about 9 or 10 years old), there was a group of kids that were throwing rocks at a business building and then fled soon after. I was walking by the area as the kids fled and got the blame. I told the owner that it wasn't me and that it was group of other kids. The building owner said that he even saw me do it (which is a total lie and not a honest mistake on his part). I told the owner that he's a "blank-en" liar and told him to go "blank" himself and prove it because I knew I didn't do anything. I knew that he really didn't see anything, and I was able rule out that was an honest mistake on his part because if he did see anything, he would have seen a group of kids (not a lone kid) throwing rocks. in the end, as I hadn't done anything wrong, he couldn't prove a damn thing.

Basically, the cops need to satisfy the minimum required amount of proof (of all people, the cops should know this). And a picture (though worth a 1000 words as they say) alone is not enough to satisfy this minimum requirement. To put it another way, a picture alone is just circumstantial evidence. Even in a civil case, you need something more to back up that circumstantial evidence in order to make your case. Without this requirement, a lot of innocent people would end up in jail.

a) what helpful and well-intentioned citizen decided to call the police after seeing this one on twitter?

b) and another pair of victims fall to the Narcissistic Generation. life just doesn't count if you cant tweet a photo of yourself doing it.

what a RAT! I hate rats! who would call the cops for this thing???

The cops knew at least one of the punks before this incident. That means they are trouble and probably a pain in the for most folk. Member of the general public understandably fed up with them.

It is also possible the youths have admitted to scratching it.

I have heard about Japanese police extracting confessions.

The fact is that they were on the car's roof and it is very easy to see how the roof would get scratched from that.

I have heard about Japanese police extracting confessions.

Yes, there is that. However, the police did not extract the photo of them on the car.

They were arrested? Not just given a stern talking to and forced to apologise...but...arrested? Yet the middle school teacher who assaulted a student wasn't arrested? Pathetic.

Stupid Twitter photos move out of fast food and conbinis, and into the streets! Who knows what will happen next?

Tune in next week, when someone will no doubt photograph themselves in the midst of something ridiculous. Please let it be a politician this time!

Here's another example (a real life example from my personal experience). I myself have been a victim of the "more likely" way of thinking.

That is a good argument. However, there is a big difference between legally standing someplace and being accused of something and actually being in the act of doing something illegal as these youths were. It is kind of like someone being caught by a still-camera in a bank vault and the money found to be taken. Without a doubt, the people caught on camera would be arrested and would be charge with burglary.

Some other points:

Cats don't generally scratch cars and certainly do not make 10 to 20 centimeter scratches on them. Also, someone with a grudge against the police would be much less likely to scratch the roof than the side, hood or trunk of the car. Why go through all that trouble?

Maybe it will get thrown out of court, but I highly doubt it.

HollisBrown,

Possibly the best post on the thread. Arresting the youths is fine, but why isn't the teacher that physically abused another person also under arrest? That is the real question.

This is not a private vehicle but one paid for with our tax money. I, as a tax payer, think arrest is over the top.

Just because tax payers fund the procurement of police cars doesn't give yobs the right to climb on top of them. You allow that kind of behaviour and who knows where it'll end... How about getting into a fire engine and setting the siren off for a giggle? How about jumping all over a tank and playing with the coaxial machine gun? This is how anarchy starts.

Scratches on the car! HAHAHA Which is more laughable, 5 Cops in a Koban who didnt notice a thing' or the 'charges'?? The Cops should be reprimended for being 'deaf and blind!

Am I the only one wondering who the sad individual is that reported a twitter post to the police..?

Am I the only one wondering who the sad individual is that reported a twitter post to the police..?

I don't know. I am the only one thinking that society is sadder when people think it is a bad thing to report a crime?

Cats don't generally scratch cars and certainly do not make 10 to 20 centimeter scratches on them.

I'll give you that one. But that wasn't meant to be a serious argument in the first place.

That is a good argument. However, there is a big difference between legally standing someplace and being accused of something and actually being in the act of doing something illegal as these youths were.

And what act did the picture catch the kids doing? It certainly doesn't show them in the act of scratching the car. All it shows is that they were on the roof. Nothing more.

Also, someone with a grudge against the police would be much less likely to scratch the roof than the side, hood or trunk of the car. Why go through all that trouble?

Because they really hate the cops or they were just bored or any random reason. It really doesn't matter why. People usually don't need a good reason to do something stupid.

Maybe it will get thrown out of court, but I highly doubt it.

I highly doubt it too. But, the cops aren't likely to win, unless they have something more than the picture. If they had some evidence that shows the roof had no scratches prior to the kids being on it (eg. credible eye witness or a dated picture that shows a perfect roof, etc...) or a picture that actually shows the kids actively scratching the roof for example, then they have a case.

Where on the roof exactly was the scratch located anyways? Was it located where the kid is on in the picture? If so, the cops could use that to add a little strength to their claim. If not, then it the kids could use it to their favor. In any case, it is often the little details that make or break a case.

OK, it's a stupid stunt and paying for repairs and some community service should suffice....but yeah, were the scratches there before? We'll never know. Not sure I'm going to lose sleep over it either.

I agree with those saying that whoever snitched is low for tattling on such a petty thing.

Hopefully, his/her car will get climbed/jumped/rioted on as a little payback.

The kids are not the problem! The lazy, useless J police, 5!! 5 good for nothing cops all scratching their huevos while this kids are just having good, wholesome fun with their PATROL CAR??? What kind of looser cops are they in Hokkaido?? No body thought, hey Tanaka, put somebody to stand guard, make yourself look like you are actually doing some work?? PENDEJOS!! Not the kids, but these useless J cops! Try getting near a LAPD patrol car and do this, hahaha!! The Rodney Tanaka version of King will be all over the news wires ASAP!!

”This is how anarchy starts.”　　　

＠Thunderbird

Nice one! Comment of the week. Too funny!

Yeah, man, if we don't clamp down on those unruly teenagers, it's just gonna be anarchy!