A 48-year-old unemployed man arrested for breaking into a rice dealer's store in Chofu, Tokyo, said he needed money for tobacco, pachinko and living expenses, police said Monday.
According to police, Koichiro Nishiyama, of no fixed address, broke into the store in June and stole 55 cartons of cigarettes and 233,000 yen in cash, TV Asahi reported.
Since last November, there have been a about 150 similar break-ins in Tokyo and neighboring prefectures, police said, adding they are questioning Nishiyama about his involvement in those cases.
© Japan Today
13 Comments
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SenseNotSoCommon
Wait till the casinos open!
I need money for Havana cigars, the blackjack table and bejewelled arm candy.
Disillusioned
Around 15% of adults play pachinko, which is not a bad statistic considering that gambling is illegal. A large percentage of these punters have gambling problems that go unaddressed because, as far as the authorities are concerned, there is no gambling in Japan. This guy is obviously a few sandwiches short of a picnic, but he also has a gambling problem. Every day I see thirty or forty people lined up to get into the pachinko parlor as soon as it opens so they can get on their favorite machine. The casinos are only going to make this problem worse because there will be no counseling for problem gamblers or credit cut off points. It will just be 'give us your money'!
sensei258
Son, what do you want to be when you grow up? I want to be a 48-year-old unemployed homeless criminal pachinko addict
Kaerimashita
I don't know. These motivations are as valid as any others for stealing. It's not his reasons that are at fault, it is the fact that he committed crimes.
Aly Rustom
At least he didn't use the old I was drunk and don't remember excuse. He was honest about why he did it
sensei258
@ Kaerimashita - Except that pachinko and tobacco are not necessities, if he was hungry and stole food I'd agree with you.
fuzzylogic
@Disillusioned "This guy is obviously a few sandwiches short of a picnic, but he also has a gambling problem. Every day I see thirty or forty people lined up to get into the pachinko parlor as soon as it opens so they can get on their favorite machine." ooooooh, and he probably will be in the slammer during the doomsday week of 9/21-9/26
Wakarimasen
He did include living expenses, so maybe it was for food also. Still, just a thief so I also don't care what he was using the money for.
boboh
55 cartons of smokes!?? How'd he make off with that haul?
yearone
And getting a job like everyone else wouldn't do?
Kabukilover
He "said he needed money for tobacco, pachinko and living expenses..." Living expenses? Bah, humbug, That won't win much sympathy. But tobacco and pachinko? That's another story. Lots of people will cry in their hearts for him.
Monozuki
At first, leaving aside 233,000 yen in cash, I was like "why 55 cartons of cigarettes in the rice dealer's store?" But at the drop of a hat, I came to realize even the rice dealer's store was selling cigarettes as well. Um, it makes sense. LOL.
Chop Chop
He needed money for tobacco, pachinko and living expenses.
Next time he will say he needs money for Casino if Abe and his group have passed Casino legislation in Diet.