crime

Off-duty cop arrests student for stealing bag to buy White Day present

30 Comments

An 18-year-old private high school student was arrested for theft earlier this month after an off-duty policeman chased the boy down for stealing a woman's bag, it was learned on Thursday.

The boy is accused of stealing a 65-year-old woman's bag from the front basket of her bicycle as she was waiting at a set of traffic lights in Tachikawa City on the evening of March 2. The boy ran off with the bag, but a 38-year-old police officer who was on his way home heard the woman screaming, and turned to see the boy running toward him with the bag.

The officer confronted the boy, and the boy put his hand in his pocket and told the officer he would stab him. The officer, who holds a 5th dan black belt in kendo, yelled at him to give up and the boy fled, but was caught hiding in bushes not far away.

The boy has admitted to stealing the bag, which contained about 15,000 yen, and was quoted as saying: "I wanted money to buy my girlfriend a present for White Day."

© News reports

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30 Comments
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"The officer, who holds a 5th dan black belt in kendo, yelled at him to give up and the boy fled, but was caught hiding in bushes not far away."

LOLS! What are the odds of finding a real cop in Japan? I guess it wasn't this kids day, unfortunately he'll get off with a slap on the wrist.

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5th dan in Kendo was useless info in this message unless he actually used his skills. Poor gf btw as she got no white day present this year, instead a break up....

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yeah... 5th dan in Kendo was TOTALLY useless info. It would be like writing to inform us, in the middle of the story, what they ate for breakfast.

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all mighty samurai. the kid was stupid for hiding in a bush and not continuing to run. Cops here don't run. They just yell. And if you are a kid, they yell alot. hand bag story makes news in Japan. Sad for a country this size. Should talk about the other million things going on here. or is anything going on?

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Can't do much with 15,000 since this is Japan and Japanese women are high maintenance.

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This article make this keystone somewhat of a hero, huh? First the kid ran toward him, then the keystone told the kid that he is a 5th dan black belt in Kendo? Is that what he yelled at the kid? Then the kid was found in the bushes...probably laughing his ass off. This Keystone is probably not the one who cought him in the bushes either. The only way the keystones run, is in the other direction.

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A success story? Its hard to fit the word "keystones" in there so many readers will be disappointed. That won't stop some from other armchair criticism though.

Glad a purse-snatcher got caught. Now if we can just get some of the pros that do it all the time.

And noborito, that is just it, not much else going on and a purse-snatcher getting caught red-handed is a rare event.

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Good to see the cops in a positive story.

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5th dan in Kendo hey, should have snapped off a branch from the bush where the boy was hiding and given him a few whacks for good measure.

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"Stop Running! I am a 5th degree Kendo Black Belt!"

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Wow! True love or was he just scared that his girlfriend wouldn't give him any if he didn't give her some chocolate? Anyway, good on the cop for being alert off duty and catching the guy.

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5th dan in Kendo has information value because that is why the cop had some courage and didn't run away from the boy. Others, those with less than the 5th dan, would simply let the boy with a hand in his pocket get away with the stolen bag.

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Haha good story. Stupid spoiled rich brat thought he could score some quick cash and then threatened a Jcop with 5th degree black belt. I wish that young punk had made a move so the Jcop could kick his privileged ass all over the street!

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Myeah, an 18 year old student arresting a cop would somehow seem more plausible and news worthy when taking into account previous incidents. Hiding in the bushes, eh. That's how we kids caught chickens on the farm. Not exactly coming at you with all guns firing. In the end though, cop catches bad guy. I need a dose of Prius or tuna right now.

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Isn't this story a little late?

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nedinjapan-my sentiments exactly. Plus, it adds a little humor 'cause it wasn't that kids day. I wonder if his girlfriend will wait for him to get out of prison. Or will she even want to be his girlfriend after this?

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ran away and stopped to hide in the bushes ? not the brightest bulb in the box is he ?

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APPLAUSE.

This is what off-duty police officers should be doing. I say give him overtime retroactively and get back to work. Heads up ball there by the boys in blue. Kudos.

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@ goddog : Heh. Kid: Ok, I'm stoppin' right now, so you can come over and give me my just deserts.

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The officer, who holds a 5th dan black belt in kendo

Too bad when he comes up against any dan in karate....without his kendo stick he aint much chop. Why is this piece of triva even in the article.....he yelled and the guy ran away and was found in the bushes!!!! Is this because of his 5th dan kendo experience???

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Come on folks, this young boy is only 18 and doesn't yet know the difference between right and wrong. Give him a break, already.

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MeanRingo - Good one.

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Hmmm so he doesn't want to ask his parents for some extra cash to buy this White Day present, and decides robbing the elderly is a better option. Considering he attends a private school, I wonder what their rules are regarding criminal activity? Most private schools around where I live will start the process for expulsion due to the arrest, and finalize the expulsion upon conviction.

So he DOESN'T get the gift, he LOSES his school, and he probably LOSES the girlfriend because she's too embarrassed to be seen with him. The better option, huh?

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How hard is that? Does he also need a medal? Go an arrest some Yakz.

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great stupid little story. Can i have my 5 minutes back now please?

This kind of thing happens every 5 minutes outside Japan.

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No Pepin, you don't get your 5 minutes back. The headline summarized the article nicely and you chose to read it anyway even though "this kind of thing happens every 5 minutes outside Japan".

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Without actually having a big stick in his hands being a 5th dan black belt in kendo really doesn’t amount to much does it? I’m a helicopter pilot but without a helicopter I can’t take off, fly and land. All a little meaningless really. Still the kid got caught and that’s what matters.

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first time ever i gotta back up a keystone but being a kendoka myself, I must confess that kendo pretty much gives you confidence and mental strength. You can handle yourself better under pressure and stuff. kudos to the guy, nay to the idiot boy. I'm 1st-kyu in kendo, btw.

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Japanese cops are so nice. He didnt use his karate on the kid because the kid produced no weapon. In my country the cops simply would have mangled me the minute the hand went into the pocket.

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18? If he is not retarded or some other brain ailment, 18 sounds old enough to know that stealing is BAD! My 6 year know better than this fool who saw the little old lady as an easy target, idiot!

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