Police in Shimoda, Shizuoka Prefecture, have arrested a 57-year-old man on suspicion of stealing 1,000 coupons worth one million yen from the Go To Travel subsidy campaign, at the hotel where he worked last December.
Police said Kouichi Ichikawa was working at the Kurofune Hotel in Shimoda City, where he is accused of stealing the coupons on Dec 12, Sankei Shimbun reported. Police were able to trace the stolen coupons after they were used at several restaurants in Shizuoka Prefecture. After reviewing surveillance footage at the eateries, Ichikawa emerged as the suspect and was arrested on Tuesday.
The coupons were kept inside the hotel’s administration office. Another hotel employee noticed the coupons were missing on Dec 13. The Go To Travel coupons can be redeemed at the users’ travel destinations.
The coupons were valid in six prefectures, including Shizuoka and Tokyo, and were to be given to hotel guests.
The government suspended the Go To Travel campaign on Dec 28 to try and halt the surge in coronavirus cases nationwide.
© Japan Today
11 Comments
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dagon
Ichikawa-san, in his microeconomic way, is just doing what JTB, Dentsu and other LDP affiliates are doing macroeconomically to the entire taxpaying public in this pandemic.
serendipitous1
Silly man. Thanks to the Go To Travel coupons he stole, he will probably Go To Prison.
Concerned Citizen
Did he not realize that he would easily get caught?
The temptation might be great, especially for someone struggling financially (though there is no mention of this in this mans case) It's just not worth it to do something like that for financial relief or temporary pleasure. Poor fellow, he's going to pay a big price for his actions.
snowymountainhell
Effective point @dagon. Small fish are cheaper to catch and put on display. Big fish are more costly to catch. - “in his microeconomic way, just doing what others are doing macroeconomically to the entire taxpaying public - The official cost is $15.4 billion, though 2 govt audits suggest it might be 2x that amount and, All but $6.7 billion is public money.”
cleo
Why the Darwin prize?
Is the penalty for stealing coupons forced sterilization?
William Round
I still find it surprising that criminals fail to understand how easily their stolen goods can be traced to them
shogun36
To
Go Daddy Go
We bout to gain our HO
Go Daddy Go
Now pass me them coupons, and Daddy c'mon let's go!
YEH YEH YEH YEH!!!!
Maybe, hide them better next time? Easter is coming up, you know fools be searching for some hidden eggs.
Also didn't they stop this program indefinitely? Why are places even accepting them? Who are the victims here? It's the government that set up this nonsense. This criminal just used them to his advantage. Since, you know, no one else was using them.
Lock the guy up, and lock up the geniuses who thought up the program.
Now back to watching my tik tok videos.
TARA TAN KITAOKA
It's very strange, what had happened to good Japanese moral??..
kaimycahl
He's got Go To Jail coupons now!!