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A man who was caught in the act of shoplifting at a supermarket in Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture, fell to his death from a parking level after fleeing from a security guard.
According to police, the incident occurred just after 5:30 p.m. Monday. Fuji TV reported that the security guard at the supermarket in Miyukigaharamachi witnessed a man putting anpan (red bean paste bread), gyoza and other items into his pockets and then leave the store. When he reached the store’s second-floor parking level, the guard confronted him by calling out, “You have some items that haven’t been paid for yet,” to which he responded, “I don’t know what you're talking about.”
Attempting to flee the scene, the suspect hopped over the parking level fence, but lost his footing and fell about seven meters to his death. Police said the man appeared to be in his 50s or early 60s and are trying to ascertain his identity. They said he had eight items from the supermarket in his pockets.
© Japan Today
18 Comments
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Disillusioned
Shows the desperation of the older set in Japan. This guy died for just a few food items of very little value.
BeowulfOkami
Poor guy. He may be a thief but I can't help feeling sorry for people who steal food. Usually it is out of desperation or hunger.
puregaijin
Y’know he was kinda the ‘fugitive’ here but I feel sorry for him. Whether or not he was desperate, I don’t know. But way too high a price to pay for trying to get away without paying for what I see as a few basic items. I feel sad.
casualguy393
Educator60,
This brings up a good point. Seeing so many people draw conclusions on the news articles here and stupidly comment with judgement is truly pathetic.
A news article posted here within the past week occurred to my neighbor of 10 years and a few of the comments written by readers showed my not only of how few facts were included, but also of how quickly people judge or speak ill of those who passed away without knowing the truth or reading anything other than a paragraph or two.
If they had walked a mile in the subject's shoes then they would surely be writing something different.
This is the reason I never post here.
thepersoniamnow
Casualguy
If you can’t post on public forums because you can’t stand to hear an opinion that differs from your own...well that’s your problem.
Since it’s a forum, the person speculating has at least a 50% chance of being right.
gogogo
very sad
quercetum
Maybe if the guard had told him that he had also forgotten to take the other items of food that he had purchased, the man would not have felt misérable and decides to stop stealing and start helping others the rest of his life.
Dango bong
only sad thing is the store getting ripped off by immoral people stealing what isn't theirs
Peter Taylor
More needs to be known about this case, to be honest. Morals go out of the window when a human is confronted by the choice of fight or flight.
And why is the store getting “ripped off” a sad thing for you and not the death of a fellow human who just happened to lift a morsel???
thepersoniamnow
I see it as a double tragedy.
The man lost his life and their are probably others who are heartbroken.
The security guard had to witness something horrifically traumatizing just doing his job, which may scar him for life.
Whether he was stealing for the hell of it or genuinely hungry are secondary to that.
In Japan if you are hungry and poor are there places that will feed you?
GyGene
This story leaves out way too much. I hope they publish a follow up article with more details. Anyway, it is kind of sad if a person has to steal food. If I were manager and learned about this, I'd give him some food.
englisc aspyrgend
He chose to steal for what ever reasons, he then ran away, his own actions brought about his demise. Had he not made these choices he would be alive today.
For the guard I feel sympathy, for the thief's family I feel sympathy but not the thief.
mtuffizi
no matter what, wish he RIP.
Dango bong
Tired of people sympathizing with criminals. How about sympathizing with hard working people who follow the law?
maybeperhapsyes
The guy stole some food because...well, he was hungry?
I can understand that.
People who steal food should be shown sympathy. Sadly lacking by some folk here who no doubt have things pretty good.
Stealing no food stuff. Well, that's just not on is it?
Can't afford it...tough. Don't steal it!!
But food...maybe this guy had no job? He's at that discriminatory age in Japan where finding work ain't easy.
He has no money so steals a meal. Wish I was there to have bought it for him. I'll buy anyone who genuinely needs a meal.
What a sad ending. Spare a thought for the store guard though. He must be feeling this is somehow his fault. Just doing his job.