crime

Shoplifter sprays employee, 5 others with irritant substance during escape

14 Comments

A man sprayed a book shop employee and five other people outside the store after he was caught shoplifting in Hiroshima on Saturday.

According to police, the man is believed to have stolen about 20 small comic books in a store at the Hiroshima Bus Center building at around 6:45 p.m. Saturday. As left the store without paying, he was chased by a woman employee who had observed him putting the books into a bag. When she grabbed the man, he sprayed her in the face with a substance that caused a stinging sensation to her eyes. He then sprayed five other people who had gathered around them.

The man fled before anyone could stop him. Police said three of the people sprayed were taken to hospital to have their eyes washed out.

The man is described as being in his late 50s or early 60s. He was wearing a black T-shirt, long black pants and a gray cap. He also wore glasses.

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14 Comments
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Oh, an older manga addicted recluse attacks people with pepper spray after shoplifting his favorite manga. I guess they are lucky he didn’t have a knife.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

i think he don't know that he can read those comics online for free instead of stealing them lol

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Petty theft are signs of a robust economy.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Wow, those must be some really good manga...

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Pepper spray. No need to go to hospital lol.

Some would play with that when I was in junior high school.

He defended himself. What was the lady thinking by the way. To judo him for 20 books or so ?

Police will catch not thanks to the description (LOL) but thanks to the cams everywhere.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

@Jonathan Prin

He defended himself. 

No. He assaulted the store employee with pepper spray.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

"As left the store without paying, he was chased by a woman employee who had observed him putting the books into a bag. When she grabbed the man, he sprayed her in the face ".

As controversial it may be, he defended himself.

I am not a law officer, I don't grab people because you risk your life for that in all countries. I call police.

He should go to jail but the pepper spray stuff is anecdotal.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

As controversial it may be, he defended

he did not defend himself, he attacked the staff from the store that he was stealing from. He went armed and used his weapon. No ifs

no buts no excuses. He went prepared to do harm for a few books. He needs punished.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

@Jonathan Prin

I am not a law officer, I don't grab people because you risk your life for that in all countries. I call police.

Quite right. Kick him in the balls then call the police. They’re bound to show up before he gets up.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

As controversial it may be, he defended himself.

Defending yourself means the other did not have justification for touching you. Here, the employee had legal justification for grabbing the shoplifter.

I am not a law officer,

That is painfully obvious from your comment.

I don't grab people because you risk your life for that in all countries. I call police.

Good for you, but that does nothing to change the fact that the thief was not defending himself.

He should go to jail but the pepper spray stuff is anecdotal.

No, it's not anecdotal. Having taken the pepper spray to commit a crime goes to premeditation. It also increases the available penalties.

Stick to whatever it is that you do because the law is clearly not your thing.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

20 manga? Greedy fool. Take 1-2 per day instead, less obvious.

How much is one anyway? ¥200? It's called a part time job at the combini. Get one.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@chip star

In Japan, because whenever a nail sticks out it gets hammered down, you could kill the thief and no one would say a thing.

I was saying my view as common sense.

Don't grab a person unless you have the power to do so or face retaliation.

In many countries, the thief may knife you when physically attacked.

So please don't put your life at risk for mangas.

PS : many 'd be surprised to see the outcome of ruling in many other countries about such cases.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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