crime

Identity of Osaka elementary school bandit discovered

25 Comments

From November last year until this January, Nozato Elementary School in Osaka City had been the scene of a string of robberies. In 16 different incidents, up to 235,000 yen was stolen from the wallets of teachers who worked there.

However, thanks to the efforts of one vigilant teacher, the culprit was finally identified and dealt with on Feb 28.

Takashi Honda, the 57-year-old vice principal of Nozato Elementary, was relieved of his command last Thursday after evidence revealed he had been the one stealing teachers’ money.

According to the Osaka Board of Education, during lessons, Honda would sneak into the staff lounge and go through the belongings of teachers looking for a score.

So why would a vice principal, only years away from retirement, risk his livelihood to lift cash from his subordinates?

“I was feeling a lot of stress from failing to get recruited as a public school principal last October, so I wanted to embarrass the principal of this school whom I didn’t get along with anyway. I never used any of the money," he was quoted as saying by police.

And he would have gotten away with it too, if it weren’t for those meddling teachers.

Honda was revealed as the thief after one teacher planted a hidden camera in her bag and caught him pinching some cash.

No charges were filed against him. Now his career has ended and he has promised to pay back the four victims twice what he stole in recompense for the mental anguish they endured.

Upon hearing this story, voices from the Internet call for the ex-administrator’s arrest whereas some others suggest slightly more lenient punishments (which seem to be influenced by their own personal problems) such as: “He should have his car destroyed as well as being dismissed.”

Source: Yomiuri

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25 Comments
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Childish!!

3 ( +3 / -0 )

And he wonders why he wasnt given a promotion?! Immaturity perchance?

5 ( +8 / -3 )

Way to set a good example for the students.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Good job by one of those "meddling teachers." The writer of this article has clearly been watching some Scooby-Doo.

11 ( +12 / -1 )

so I wanted to embarrass the principal of this school whom I didn’t get along with anyway. I never used any of the money,” he was quoted as saying by police.

I am surprised this guy made it to kyoto as it is. Definitely not the brightest that's for sure if he thinks that by stealing from subordinates is going to embarass the principal. There are plenty of other ways for a vice prinicpal to undermine or embarass a principal.

No charges were filed against him. Now his career has ended and he has promised to pay back the four victims twice what he stole in recompense for the mental anguish they endured.

No charges were filed because the teachers I bet were coerced into not filing any complaints with the police. As if paying double is enough?

If any one of us did the same thing I am quite confident we would be in jail.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Japan, where life is stranger than fiction.

-1 ( +3 / -5 )

The vice principal job is arguably the hardest in the school. They are worked phenomenally hard and it is common for many of them to never get promotion to the next and easier stage due to poor relationships with their principal who will decline to recommend them for promotion. I have heard of quite a few cases of vice principals who had previously been very successful as teachers suffering mental breakdown. Whilst I would never condone this man's actions, I'm not particularly surprised that mental stress drove someone down this path.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

whoever said “He should have his car destroyed as well as being dismissed.” was actually being very funny quoting the manga [and subsequently anime/drama] GTO, whose school vice principal's car got regularly destroyed [mostly unwittingly] by the hero Eikichi Onizuka. I guess Japan Today ain't otaku enough to pick it up XD

4 ( +5 / -1 )

I was feeling a lot of stress from failing to get recruited as a public school principal last October

And that was through no fault of his own...he didn't come away from the experience thinking there might be things he could work on to become a better candidate for such a post...looks like they were right in passing him over.

2 ( +2 / -1 )

Contrast this punishment with that given to the homeless taking money from temples or food from supermarkets.

Almost always a penal sentence results....

4 ( +4 / -0 )

"I never used any of the money,” he was quoted as saying...

GREAT! GIVE IT BACK!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

hopefully he has not taught such technique to his students.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Busted!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

kurisupisuMar. 04, 2013 - 12:26PM JST Contrast this punishment with that given to the homeless taking money from temples or food from supermarkets. Almost always a penal sentence results....

The bigger the amount the lower the punishment it seems. Steal 10 yen from a temple and get a year in prison. Steal 235,000yen, have to pay it back 4 times and quit. Steal billions... and get promoted to CEO.

The inverse rule of law.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

@kurisupisu yes very true. This guys career is ruined. And he is paying everyone back. Fair in my eyes. This guy has to live with major shame for the rest of his life. And a homeless man who took 10 yen has to spend years in jail???? And guess who pays for those 3 years? WE DO! If the teachers decided not to press charges. Are you telling me that the buiddist MONKS did press charges???

0 ( +0 / -0 )

No charges were filed against him.

They should have been. In fact, he should be arrested.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

This is actually a phsychological issue, as with many in Japan, phsychological help is much required.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

idiotic...well he lost his pension

1 ( +1 / -0 )

go stand in the corner and know that we dont hate you we hate what you did.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I guess Japan Today ain't otaku enough to pick it up XD.

JT didn't write the article.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I was feeling a lot of stress from failing to get recruited as a public school principal last October, so I wanted to embarrass the principal of this school whom I didn’t get along with anyway. I never used any of the money, he was quoted as saying by police.

What a huge idiot. "I'm going to embarrass the principal by stealing money from teachers!" I don't quite understand his logic there... The childishness of Japanese thinking illuminated once again.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Working at an elementary school, the vice principal is usually the only one in the office during working hours along with the secretary/assistant. If it happened 16 times, those would be the 2 people I'd wonder about first.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

why weren't valuables locked up in their lockers baffles me! teachers have cash with them all the time, from kids for photos, field trips, stationeries etc and we always lock them up! oh, it's Osaka, not Okinawa that's why!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

It was YOU! You broke my heart!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

A little harsh! And what if the kids enjoyed working with the old man!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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