crime

8 youths arrested for stealing cigarettes

35 Comments

The police juvenile crime division in Tokyo arrested eight youths Tuesday for stealing nine cartons of cigarettes from a 24-hour supermarket in Shinagawa.

According to police, the suspects are third-grade junior high school students from Shinagawa and Ota who often hang around together at night. During questioning, none of the teenagers denied the charges and the majority of them were quietly reflective about their crime, according to police.

However, a few of the accused were less repentant with one quoted as saying: "I'll stop shoplifting but I don't think I can stop smoking," while another said: "I didn't think I'd get arrested for shoplifting."

The youths have been charged with entering the basement food section of a store in Minami Ota at 2:45 a.m. Upon noticing the key had been left in the tobacco cabinet, they attempted to make off with 9 cartons of cigarettes worth a total of 27,000 yen.

According to the juvenile crime division, at the time of the incident, there were no staff in the basement but the group were caught on security cameras. Police are continuing to look into the claims of one of the teenagers who said, "I've stolen plenty of things besides cigarettes."

© News reports

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

35 Comments
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kids shoplifting, kids trying smoking. where's the news here?

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In Australia this would be a signifigant crime....a PACKET of cigs goes for about $16 Australian dollars....9 cartons would make it a big haul.

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“I’ve stolen plenty of things besides cigarettes.”

LOL! Sounds like he's trying to be a bad ass.

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Will JT be providing defense lawyers for the kids?

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boys will be boys....

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Denenchofu brats?

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Hardened criminals here

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quietly reflective about their crime

yeah, I bet.

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What on earth are 14/15-year-olds doing out at a quarter to 3 in the morning?

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Thank you, Maria! That's the first thing I thought.

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Smoking is a bigger crime than Shoplifting, and Japan has a huge smoking problem.

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A proud moment for parents.

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Where were the parents of these kinds when all of these things took place??? Can`t the parents of these kids control their kids?? Is this what Japan has come to?? A country where juveniles have to steal cigarettes to get some attention.

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“I’ll stop shoplifting but I don’t think I can stop smoking,”

This youth should sue the cigarette company and reflect on his poor judgements for his stupidity.

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Where were the parents of these kinds when all of these things took place

Well, it was 2:45 A.M. sooooooo, just guessing here.......but I would say there's a good chance they were home, in bed, asleep. Kids sneak out at night all the time, I did it, my friends did it, my sister did it.

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A country where juveniles have to steal cigarettes to get some attention.

I think they stole them to feed their addiction. I'm sure they weren't planning on getting caught.

Weasel : Yes, but now you need a taspo to buy them.

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"What on earth are 14/15-year-olds doing out at a quarter to 3 in the morning?"

Shouldn't they be throwing pebbles at their girlfriend's window?

"my sister did it."

I want to hear her side of the story before I believe you.

As a janitor cleaning office buildings, I get to see what the city looks like at 3 am quite a bit. Apparently a lot of people would be surprised at what happens in the wee hours.

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@Klein2:

Ouch! one point for Klein2.

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Yup, kids that age will sneak out of the house late at night. Give them a good scare, some community service and they will likely stay out of trouble or at least think twice next time...

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I did the same thing when I was a kid, got arrested, was given some punishment in the form of community work. Was the best thing that ever happened to me. The community work councilors sorted me out, and helped me to escape from a violent, alcohol soaked home as well as some bad people I was spending time with.

Was discharged without conviction and went on to university etc.

Hope these kids get the right help they need.

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Where's the weenie in this story? I thought to myself, "okay, I'll bite... there must be something more to this story than the headline leads on... I'll read it and find out". I think I am going to stop reading this supposed news site as it is now including random bits of nothingness. Come on, these are just some juvenile delinquents shop lifting. In a country the size of Japan, this is news? I know Japan is supposed to be so crime free and all, but give me a break. Check the police blotters again and find us something a bit more noteworthy than some teenagers shoplifting. See you Japan Today!!

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Boys will be boys, as long as adult boys smoke, they see that as cool! Blame the freaking smokers! The tobacco companies and the failure of government to control this insidious drug! If ya must smoke, smoke something worth smoking! Tobacco is shite, alcohol is too! Not that I am condoning anything here, I just see stupidity with the law! drugs are dugs and should be treated as such, one drug okay, another not, alcohol,tobacco acceptable, Why?

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Let me hazard a guess: they're members of their JHS baseball team.

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Police are continuing to look into the claims of one of the teenagers who said, “I’ve stolen plenty of things besides cigarettes.” Rule 1/ don't admit to anything/Now there's a dumb ass.

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Shouldn't there be a B&E charge as well? I guess the supermarket needs to do a little more about 'security', though it's good the camera got the kids in the act. I agree with those above -- this is nothing incredibly serious. Give them some community service (they can't do time anyway) and send them on there way.

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bicultural: You're right, there is Taspo, but Taspo has been flawed from the get-go. For starters, it doesn't stop a kid from using someone else's card. Second, there have been plenty of card readers that have made errors -- especially with the machines that have cameras to go with it. Better than before, I guess, but they should eliminate the machines altogether.

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And who works at the register behind the counter in most convenience stores where they sell cigs? High School kids, going to the same high schools as the kids who want the cigs. "Sell me some cigs or I'll kick your a** tomorrow."

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Oh. I think that the stealing is terrible and hope they get smacked down hard. They need the Barney Fife treatment.

I am not surprised at all that they are out at night, is all. It sounds corny, but I never stole or cheated, but I guess I would go for midnight walks here and there OFTEN. Techall, his sister, Dolphingirl, and probably everyone has done that. What I found out years later is that people in the neighborhood used to watch me and other kids sneak around. Is that creepy or what?

That scary but harmless experience that we have all had is threatened by kids like this who take it way too far and get destructive. I designed my house so that my kids would have ways of sneaking out that would make telltale noises and cause clothes-tearing and present other hazards. I hope they will have a chance to enjoy that part of being young: adventure without crime, and not too much risk.

Taspo, cashiers, ok. But what kind of parent can't tell that their kid is smoking and can't see him getting cigarettes with no source of income?

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This is funny. The cigarette machines near my apartment have a taspo card on a chain. All one has to do is pick it up, use it and put it back.

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"a few of the accused were less repetant with one quoted as saying: "I'll stop shoplifting, but I don't think I can stop smoking."

Heck, he was repetant! And honest! Most smokers can't stop.

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Eight potential Darwin Award candidates in the future! Keep an eye on them.

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Reads like an inside job what with the key still in the tobaco cabinet. Still, it sounds like it was done out of boredom or as a challenge. Smokes are so cheap in Japan, that it would be stupid to steal them.

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I know kids who show the back of their heads to use cig machines. Reader thinks it is a big beard.

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It makes me feel good to know that 8 kids shoplifting cigs is still considered big news.

Taka

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