Police in Saitama said Sunday they have arrested a 23-year-old elementary school teacher on suspicion of attempting to steal a man's wallet on a train.
According to police, the suspect, Takeru Terada, tried to lift a wallet containing about 28,000 yen in cash from the back pocket of a man's pants on the JR Musashino line between Minami-koshigaya and Higashi-kawaguchi stations at around 5:35 p.m. on Friday, Fuji TV reported.
The man, who was looking at his smartphone, felt something and grabbed Terada in the act, police said.
Terada, who who started his teaching job at the beginning of April, has admitted to the charge, police said.
© Japan Today
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ShinCebu
We cannot judge this man now. The police statement is just based on the called-victim. "He felt something" is not a valid evidence yet. but if ever he is really guilty. then the first thing that came in my mind is Japan is getting poorer in poorer...
smithinjapan
bullfighter: "And, then he will be given a suspended sentence that will be the topic of prolific comment here until the next incident comes along and the cycle starts over."
Hey, it's the J-cops and the apologists that create the cycle, my friend, as well as in the case of the BOE and training hiring practice of teachers it's the education system. They hire, as is the norm in most cases here, based on the results of rote testing; not on classroom management skills or the things employers might need to avoid hiring these types of criminals. I mean, how often do you hear of teachers having installed cameras in the kids' washrooms, asking them ridiculous questions like "Who would you kill if you could?", corporal punishment, and the heaps of 'sick leaves' new teachers take after one term in the classroom? It's the same hiring practices they use for J-cops, and you hear about their drunk driving, thieving, and them shooting themselves in basement bathrooms.
Anyway, you need to relax and chill out. The funny part about your sarcasm is that you know full well while you are being facetious much of what you said will happen may well happen, but what's not funny is that you sound a little stressed out writing out the facts.
MeanRingo: "If I were him, I'd go with the Saitama defence. What is up with that pref?"
No kidding! But to be fair, while Saitama was going whole hog to push itself up in the ranks of most obscene and abhorrent crimes in the nation and possibility on a larger scale, they have made the news for such incidents far less this year. No drop kicking blind people or stabbing seeing eye dogs so far this year, for example. And incidents like teachers committing crimes happen frequently across the nation. There's nothing particularly 'special' about this.
Yubaru
No in actuality they are not, a contracted teacher his age in a public school will be lucky to take home 140,000 per month. Not that it matters, he is an idiot.
TheTiger
They not paid enough?
nath
Thieves are scum, who cares what his reasons were. You don't go stealing other people's property unless it's to save life and limb.
Yubaru
He's 23 years old, and the age tells me that he is not a tenured, probably a yearly contracted ES teacher or at least an hourly one.
So what happens? This dude is screwed BIG TIME, he will never get hired full time, and odds are really high that he will be fired pronto as well.
He is an ass for doing it, and chances are this wasnt the first time either. Just got caught. People in his position and at his age dont typically just start pick-pockets on a whim at 5:30 in the evening. I'll bet he is being investigated for other pick pocket crimes and his house or apartment are being searched as well.
He is done as a teacher of kids that is for sure.
Chop Chop
If you have Casino in Japan and then Police will be very busy with like this petty crimes. School teacher should be role model for students but he tried to pickpocket some else wallet on train. What wrong with today young peoples?
Jumin Rhee
Guess prefectures or local schools don't buy their supplies, the teachers are left to do that....just gonna borrow 1000 yen from ya buddy.
MeanRingo
If I were him, I'd go with the Saitama defence. What is up with that pref?
Kobe White Bar Owner
Where i grew up was pretty rough and plenty of thieves about but for any1 whos interested no pickpocket will hit a wallet in a front jean pocket, ever!
domtoidi
He'll lose his teacher job, but the tax office will be keen to hire him.
Kobe White Bar Owner
@ Bullfighter, wow relax its golden week.
but you are completely right with your point "and the cycle starts over.";o)
Monozuki
Now he has committed career suicide. The future scope of his options is limited except becoming like an artist, novelist, actor and such, if only he has talent in one of those. What a fool he's been!
kurisupisu
I dare say that he'll claim to be underpaid......
gogogo
weisse
Good ole Musashino line.
pudus
"he just threw away his school teachers career '
probably was trying to re-up on his "ice fix"
Bob Tobin
pay teachers more.
WordStar
Wonder if his class has been studying Oliver Twist...
cevin7
What was going on in his mind? I wish I could read those people's mind.
FightingViking
When Japanese visitors travel around France, they are advised to keep their wallets in their "inside" pockets.
redfender
Regardless of what judicial punishment he receives, just being humiliated by his own actions and losing his job will be more than enough. That is if he even cares. Kind of sad though that this fella threw away his career just to get a few yen. Over a lifetime of salary every month and a supposed retirement. Man oh man and I am just making ends meet with no future benefits after I get older... What a nincompoop!!!
sn00z3
If you notice some (all) of their train has cctv installed.
Pukey2
It would actually help if most men in this country didn't leave their wallets half-sticking out of their back pockets. It also makes them look stupid. Is this some sort of cool trend? I must be one of the very few who make use of the front pocket. It's sure as hell more comfortable when you sit down. You know, contrary to what some folks think, there are a lot of home-grown thieves here too.
bullfighter
Indeed. Same old line for every crime story. And, what difference does it make? The cops are going to beat a confession out of him whatever he says, right? And then he'll be shipped off to court where the conviction rate is 99.99999 percent, right? And, then he will be given a suspended sentence that will be the topic of prolific comment here until the next incident comes along and the cycle starts over.
Lockke
to be quite honest.. after reading the headlines, my first thought was..
"....thank god it isn't a schoolgirl's skirt he lifted.. just a man's wallet.." lol
Wc626
I suppose this is better than reading about a school girl being groped. Or a female buttock's slashed . . . .
Aly Rustom
I've heard that the Musashino Line has quite a number of pickpockets. Be careful riding that line everyone.
SenseNotSoCommon
Hadn't got his first pay cheque yet?
Kobe White Bar Owner
Here we go...... Will he claim to be drunk, stressed or both.