crime

Osaka police officer arrested for keeping ¥10,000 note turned in by 2 brothers

24 Comments

A 21-year-old Osaka police officer has been arrested on suspicion of embezzlement after he kept a 10,000-yen banknote handed in by two brothers.

According to police, Takumi Nozawa, who works in the Community Affairs Division at a police station in Joto Ward, has admitted to the charge, Sankei Shimbun reported. He was quoted as saying he needed the money for living expenses.

On April 16, a 14-year-old junior high school boy and his 11-year-old brother found the banknote on the street and gave it to Nozawa who was on patrol at the time. Police said Nozawa pocketed the money without filing any paperwork for the lost property.

The boys told their mother about the money, and she contacted the Joto Police Station on April 20 to ask why police did not take a statement. She was told no lost-and-found money had been recorded.

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24 Comments
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...was it worth it, Nozawa-san?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

A newbie Police officer (21 years old) ... arrested over pocketing a 10K bank note!!!... Disciplinary action would have been more appropriate. The Mother of the kids who handed the Note in, contacted the Police did so, knowing full well, that if no one claimed it, then the money would be given back to them. And the person who lost it, was probably resigned to the fact that no-one would simply hand a bank note into the Police.... except for two innocent Kids! What a situation ! Its not hard to imagine the young Police office being strapped for Cash. But who knows, having taken the money, had he gotten away with it, maybe later in life, he would have in turn helped someone in need.... now, he's likely to loose his job, his career... and what next ? Now, when those Kids hear about whats happened to the Young Policeman, how will they feel ?

Sad, messed up World. Perhaps had the Kids kept the money, things would have been a lot different.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

I think if its just loose money on the street or somewhere with no real way of finding who does it belong to, its yours.

The law disagrees with you and it really isn't your place to decide what is yours and what isn't.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

J-Cops... You are obliged to hand in any find exceeding 500 yen.

Have handed in purses and wallets before, but the hassle of having to explain how you didn't steal it is real.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Well done boys. Refreshing to hear a story about well raised and principled teens.

Why arrest the young cop and ruin his life and career over such a minor infraction?

They could have given him a very firm warning along the lines of 'Sincerity. honesty and integrity are vital qualities for police officers. Learn these now or your out of the force immediately!'

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Did the policeman Nozawa keep his job?

I ask this because nothing surprises me about the Japanese police anymore

0 ( +1 / -1 )

What kind of people do they employ there at the police?

The kind who would steal from an 11-year-old apparently.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Rightly he should be charged and prosecuted. Police are given extraordinary powers and as such must be above reproach. The fact that he would endanger his career for so little shows he was not the person for the job.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

If I was the cop, I would have replied it was my banknote that fell.

He must know if there is a street webcam somehere and probably none, no one could say it is mine.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

In most countries, the boys don't report and give the money to cops, even if they do the money disappears, The mother never bothers to check with the police station .... Other than the cop pocketing the money there are so many positives that make me feel good about Japan.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Arrested? Criminal prosecution? Human resources WASTED. Typical complete over reaction by the police on such a minor infraction. A stern warning would have frightened this officer plenty.

-8 ( +1 / -9 )

BUSTED! That is theft and he should be charged accordingly.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

A lot of Police in Japan are a joke. Look at this article alone. The two barely teenage boys had better morales and class than the officer in question.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

I don’t turn anything in to the police anymore.

did it once when I found a mobile phone, & they treated me like a criminal

10 ( +11 / -1 )

If cash is logged as such then it is unclaimed, the finder may receive it.

If you trust the police enough to follow their word and paperwork. Another thing with police is that any paperwork filed takes forever and giving the step-by-step description of how and why I found the money plus my life story. Last year I saw a white envelope on a residential street with a wad of ¥10,000 bills sticking out. Instead of touching it, I just kept walking to make it another person's problem.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

It was lucky that the brothers had each other as a witness this time, because if it had been only one of them, the officer might have denied ever receiving the money. It would have been his word against the boy's, and police officers is usually the ones who the system believes.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Although the boys are to be commended for doing so, I never turn in cash. Just how the heck is someone going to identify a yukichi found lying on a street? I have called one person and mailed back another's wallet to them though as it can be an enormous pain talking to J-cops and filling out paperwork.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

So if I find ¥10 on the street, am I to go out of my way to give it to a police officer? I think if its just loose money on the street or somewhere with no real way of finding who does it belong to, its yours. But if its in a wallet with the person's information, the contents of the wallet is not to be touched only the ID card so you can try to find the rightful owner. These boys were raised VERY well!

8 ( +11 / -3 )

If cash is logged as such then it is unclaimed, the finder may receive it.

If you pocket cash without locating the nearest koban and accused by someone then a charge of theft could be a serious matter.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Having said that, this is exactly why I don't turn in cash I find. I have however turned in several wallets over the years, including one that contained nearly 200,000 yen along with several credit and suica/pasmo cards.

5 ( +11 / -6 )

Glad the boys are trying to do the right thing. Not surprised at what the policeman did. FYI, anything you turn into the police you can file a claim for and if no one comes to pick it up it's yours after 90 days.

17 ( +18 / -1 )

The good (brothers)

The bad (cop)

And the ugly (truth)

What kind of people do they employ there at the police?

21 ( +21 / -0 )

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