Police in Kasukabe, Saitama Prefecture, said Saturday that 50 batteries have been stolen from 25 trucks and cars.
According to police, sometime early Friday morning, 24 batteries were stolen from 12 trucks parked outside a beverage manufacturing company, TV Asahi reported.
Police received reports that between Thursday night and Friday morning, two more similar cases were reported within the same five-kilometer radius of the city. In all, a total of 50 batteries were stolen from 25 parked vehicles.
In October, batteries were stolen from six trucks, also in Kasukabe, police said.
© Japan Today
14 Comments
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CrazyJoe
Car batteries must be more difficult to steal since you have to get the hood open. Most likely for resale?
KnowBetter
This has been happening in Canada and the USA as well. They steal the batteries to get money for the metal (lead plates) which will fetch around $10 for the average big heavy battery so I can't figure them getting more than 700 to 900 yen for one battery in Japan. A lot of stupid work for little return.
Disillusioned
Actually knowbetter, there is very little lead in car batteries cos most of it oxidises very quickly and there is a lot of work involved in retrieving the lead from the batteries. My guess would be secondhand car yards.
Gaijin Desi
24 batteries !!! its a difficult job. looks like insider hand .
Nessie
That or zombie apocalypse.
A.N. Other
With the theft of that many batteries, someone is bound to be charged.
gelendestrasse
The news from Saitama just gets stranger and stranger....zombie apocalypse indeed....
kiyoshiMukai
Opening so many vehicles. Must be an inside job. Theres almost no profut since most people will never buy used batteries in Japan
Mu Staff
Chip Harding
Why steal batteries? That's just annoying. When you go out to start your car and load and behold your battery is missing. How annoying.
Argus Tuft
@Mu Staff
Some people will post just because the word 'Saitama' is in the headline. Don't feed the trolls
wontond
Perhaps the homeless are using the batteries to charge their blue tarp shanty towns.
camari1
I need them to power my time machine car!