crime

3,000 pairs of stolen panties found in home of underwear thief

65 Comments

Police in Sakurai City, Nara Prefecture, on Monday arrested a 55-year-old part-time shop assistant on suspicion of stealing underwear from a woman's home. The suspect, Yukio Kusumoto, was charged with stealing three pairs of underwear with a combined value of 1,500 yen from a 32-year-old shop assistant as they were drying on her first floor balcony.

When police searched Kusumoto's home, they found around 3,000 other pairs of women's underwear. Kusumoto was quoted by police as saying: "I've stolen from other homes too. I've always been interested in women's underwear."

© News reports

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65 Comments
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whats with the obsession of womans panties in this country?

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And there is the display. Confession completed.

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Good question Papigiulio. Ok, college "panty raid" prank, that I understand. Geezus, with 3000 pairs, this guy was making his obsession a full time job. It's no wonder he only held a part-time job, the rest of his time was spent seeking out pretty frillies.

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He has been busy!

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He probably likes to wear them. Any strange fetish is still extremely hush hush in Japan. He doesnt want to or cant afford to buy them?

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Next stop for Yukio Kusumoto, the maid train.

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The police love them as well, they lay them all out and take photos of them

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Gotta hand it the the panty squad! What a perv!

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...Ugggggh. Disgusting. If you're so interested in women's underwear, buy your own! If you can find a way to safely steal 3000 pairs, surely you can find a way to get ahold of them without violating someone elses property and privacy!

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Stealing clean ones - this man is sick!! Buying the used ones from the vending machines in Shinjuku would have saved this man the embarrassment of getting caught for stealing. Or even buying them off the i/net which I believe is possible.

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Interested in women's underwear but not in speaking to women, I bet. Weirdo.

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@mocheake-quite possible he wants to BE one, not speak to one.

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These crimes have potential to escalate to something more serious. Good find.

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Will this make it into the Guinness Book of records?

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Store-bought underwear doesn't do it for these guys. It doesn't smell unique enough. (Unique- a major theme in Japan) When my girlfriend's underwear was stolen from my drying rack, she got angry and demanded to know why I put them outside. I told her I had no idea some guys do that. (I've learned so many cultural things about Japan) I told her he was probably wearing it on his head like an Ultraman mask while shaking hands with the unemployed.

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I wonder what he does with the underwear.

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“I’ve stolen from other homes too."

He was smart enough not to have stolen 3,000 pairs from the same woman: that might have raised her suspicion.

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Laquana - Har!

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Why would they search his home? Just because he got caught stealing three pairs? Did they make him take off his pants and show what he was wearing?

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Ha, ha! Japan is like a cheap nashi pear - It looks good on the outside, but the closer you get to the core the more rotten it becomes!

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I’ve always been interested in women’s underwear.”

Now there is a great opening line when applying for a job.

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I don't know about Nara, but in Tokyo no young woman would dare to dry her underwear on the first floor balcony, it would disappear within one day. my GF scolded me for trying to dry hers on the 7th floor (remember the story of the guy with the fishing rod, or that agile construction worker). Difficult to understand for me, especially since I don't find the panties Jp ladies wear especially attractive or sexy (except the shobu ones maybe)

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This guy had enough pairs to open his own clothing store.

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oh wow what a strange Obsession. 3,000!? what would have he gone up to IF he didn't get caught? 7,000 pairs? this guy needs Mental Help

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I’ve always been interested in women’s underwear.”

The perfect line for a first (and last) date.

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What I love about these stories is the way the police lay out the "Haul" as though they had busted a major drug ring or an international arms smuggling cartel.

But that aside think about the scale of the escapade. Assuming that he only steals from level 1 properties and factor in that he has to case the place to be sure he won't be caught, it is only two or three panties a night (unless the owner washes her smalls once a week). Yet he got 3,000!!! My wife reliably tells me the average price of a good pair of panties (why do we say a pair when only one item? Pair of socks I can understand) is about Y1000 - 1500. So this does have a financial aspect to it.

Did someone earlier ask why steal used panties? Well, assuming the alleged offender has a thing about womens panties then surely knowing that they have been worn by a woman - who he may have also checked out - must give more satisfaction. Apart from the fact that he would be unlikely to steal 3000 pairs from a shop without being detected, fresh from the factories of China probably does not have the same fantasy factor as last worn by Takako, Hiroko or whoever.

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Just another perv.

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I'd like to see the keystones while they lined these panties up for the picture...and check thier phones and pockets too.

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I wonder if this is some form of obsessive compulsive disorder... compulsive hoarding is one of the well known symptomatic behaviours, and this certainly fits the bill.

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3 pairs = 1 500yen (according to the article) 3000 pairs is therefore roughly 1 500 000 yen.

Hmm... that's not a bad haul. Probably more than he'd get knocking over a combini.

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In an odd and bizarre way I enjoy these stories like the old lady reading the tab in a checkout line. I mean we cannot control the sick side of this culture, the habits, nasty fetishes etc... But hey it beats reading about murders and violence. In Thailand they lay everything out on a table or tarp; the cash, mobile phone, drugs, credit cards, guns and hardcore stuff and then have the accused in front on his knees with the cops in the back smiling... Perhaps Japan needs to amend their privacy laws (instead of blurs and mickey mouse voices). I reckon this public humiliation will tone the sickness down. sniff sniff. I doubt teenage girls displayed, porn and maids will be going away anytime soon (seems to be going overboard now) and I believe this feeds into the male Japanese mind of sexual perversion quite young.

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What the article doesn't tell is that it took four police sergeants overnight to lay out all the panties in preparation of the morning photos. They emerged from the evidence room with sheepish grins on their faces.

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Panties collector. Nothing wrong with that. It's like collecting stamps, coins or match boxes. Except here the items were stolen. I bet that's part of the thrill!

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presto345.

Nailed it, the thrill/fantasizing getting them is what matters. Once you got them hard to dispose if you are a single guy.

Some people can fulfill those needs with a hobby, etc others turn to more less legit means.

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They can be purchased on the Internet, at about 1700 yen a bra or pantie, meaning that this stash has a street value of about 60,000 USD. At least one of the sites advertises wears as having been stolen, so this may be big business.

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In the bigure picture, is stealing womens panties such a big crime?

And come on, you have to give it to the guy - THREE THOUSAND PAIRS OF PANTIES!!! try collecting three thousand baseball cards. This guy was the master, the best that Japan has produced in pantie collections. And there has been a few.

Move over up pantie snappers - here we have a proffesional. 3000 panties. Helll, just try to store them! He has to have a TV program dedicated to him. Or possibbly a channel. This guy is not sick. Someone who can collect threeee thousaaaaand panties undetected has something going for him.

Just needs to be pointed in the rigt direction.

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Why are the panties displayed in such a way? I seem to recall a similar photograph a while ago.

Some guys have got to find better hobbies.

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Man I hope he washed them all.

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Doplhingirl they are laid out so that evidence Pics/Videos can be take to be shown at the trail, etc

Or should they parade all of those past the judges, etc.

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why the hell are the cops laying out 3000 pairs of panties for a photo opportunity?this kind of thing is more suited to high profile drug busts where they show off bricks of cocaine worth a couple of million.are they proud of such an arrest?these police are a joke!does this count as real crime?

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How long does it take to set up all that underwear for the photos?

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The758.

My guess it takes quiet a bit and laying 3000 panties out can turn you off them.

But I guess it is a legal requirement to take photo/video evidence of the stuff, size of crime don't matter.

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How long does it take to set up all that underwear for the photos?

I suppose it depends on the number of officers laying them out. My guess is there were more than 3000 male officers who voluneered, so they did paper/rock/scissors and then 3000 winners lined up to snatch his pair and lay them, the ole snatch and lay system. So, determining the winners took up the most time.

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Note the caption says under the photo "Some of the 3,000 stolen underwear items are displayed at Sakurai police station on Monday."

Only some of the ... Guess some went missing from the cop shop before the photo was taken. Check those police officers out for knicked knickers.

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3000! Man. That guy has been busy.

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Well, at least he molests only the underwear and not the women wearing them. Gotta give credit where it's deserved.

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Typhoon_Tom - Well, at least he molests only the underwear and not the women wearing them.

As far as you know. Sorry, but this is a sick crime, regardless of any admiration from the lonelies.

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This old geezer is one sick bastard, I feel so sorry for all those poor young ladies running around Japan with no underwear.

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3000 pair ???

Clearly this was a man with a -lot- of spare time ! :-)

The "crimes" were very minor, though you've got to wonder how someone gets -that- obsessed with panties. Maybe he should have asked some of his 'victims' out on a date instead ?

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3000! Man.

That would be 30,000,000 pairs!

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Sad isn't it - a man owns 3,000 pairs of knickers that aren't his. I - a mere woman - own about 7 somewhat holey, tattered pairs of same...

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His quote sounds so matter-of-fact it could be called a national pastime. I'm speechless at the whole thing, it seems a woman is never careful enough with her undies..

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I'd like to see a female judge handle this case.

Observing from the outside, panties seem to be a commodity in this country. Like dollar bills. Triumph should look into developing secure panties for the women of today. An anti-snatch mechanism like banks have for bills. Where the panties explode and release a non-lethal colored powder that doesnot wash off easily. Then and only then will the perps be marked semi-permanently and shamed.

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It was a pretty honest and innocent hobby until he started stealing pants

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Do we have a world record?! Probably not...

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1500 yen for 3 panties. I think the value of used panties is from 10 yen to 20000 yen depends on the buyers need. Well, just another story showing here are lots of panty lover guys. This kinda news i heard in other country where the guy will stole the panty of only women he have crush upon not unlike japan.

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i suppose if it was only 3 they can arrest him for posesion for personal use ...but 3000 , hes a dealer!

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I don't know what's sadder: the individual who did this or the J-cops for laying it all out like that. Lol.

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3000 pair, that enough to last him for close to 10 years.

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why did the cops have to lay all those panties out like that sheesh, Man that is embarrassing. The guy who stole the panties is in need of serious help immediately!

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NeoGeo.

The reason was given multiple times before.

It is needed for evidence photos/videos.

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1) Gather panties... 2) .... 3) Profit!

this guy has it.

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Zenny11

But why make such a public display its not as if people are going to claim their panties back!!!

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Nor sure why the media publishes them.

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Will there be a police auction after the court case?

I'm very interested in the little pokerdot pair next to those white ones.

Ooh can't wait to slide those along my - err sorry getting carried away...

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