(Translation): Man Arrested in 15 Year-old Robbery:
One Month before the Statute of Limitations Expires.
( Japanese Original ) November 20, 2020

Police announced the arrest of a day worker from the largely homeless Nishinari area of Osaka on charges of kidnapping a used car dealer, and robbing him of 45 million yen ($400,000) in cash, and other goods worth 10.5 million yen ($100,000) in March of 2005. His alleged companion in the crime was apprehended in 2006.

Present status: unknown.

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Below is an imaginary scenario of the police interview with the victim of the above case after being robbed:

Interview Scenario

Police: So tell us what happened?

Victim: Well, I was crossing the road at a busy interaction when I was apprehended by two men. It was terrifying. They drove me to my home/business and robbed me.

Police: How much did they take?

Victim: Well, about $400,000 in cash, and $100,000 worth of jewelry and other valuables, including a car.

Police: Do you always keep this much cash on the premises? Or perhaps this was a little less than usual?

Victim: Sure. I usually have this much or more.

Police: And why do you keep so much money on the premises?

Victim: Well, I need to buy used cars.

Police: And sometimes your customers pay cash for the cars?

Victim: Yes, that often happens.

Police: Instead of depositing the money in the bank, the sensible thing to do, you just keep it on hand?

Victim: I often deposit the money in the bank, but I haven't had much chance to get there lately.

Police: Do you really need so much cash? That's what banks are for you know?

Victim: Well, ahh, umm, maybe if I put in the bank, the govt might make me pay, ah, taxes?

Police: How would the perps know you had so much money here?

Victim: I don't think they knew….they just came and robbed me.

Police: But you gave them everything you had.

Victim: Yes, I was really terrified.

Police: Where do you store your money?

Victim: In a locked safe.

Police: And they made you open the safe?

Victim: Well, yes. Very forcefully.

Police: Once again, how did these guys know you kept so much money around.

Victim: Well, ahh, I don't really know, they just came and demanded it all...…

Police: You could have given them a lot less than you did? $4,000 probably would have made their day. Maybe less. You gave them 100 times more than that.

Victim: Well, I was in a panic and uhh...my life was in danger....terrifying really.
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Final Thoughts:

This whole imbroglio (can we call it a crime) seems deliberately choreographed. Were the robbers police? Gangsters? Employees? Friends? Was this a way to pay a debt, or avoid paying a debt? Anyone with a good idea of what transpired, please send your musings to jiadep.org@gmail.com

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Just for Laughs Part 2

JIADEP Note: Are the police often bored at times? And so frustrated with a lack of crime that they create them?* The defendant cited below probably has an insightful opinion!

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Homeless man wins damages against the state for stealing an abandoned bicycle. Jan 2021 (Original)

A homeless man won 530,000 yen ($5200) in damages against the state for being wrongfully arrested of a bicycle theft and incarcerated for over 4 months. The man, who lived in a park, claimed the bicycle was abandoned. The court agreed. He was awarded 4,000 yen per day for 133 days of incarceration. (Shiga prefecture)

* Japan's leading criminologist would likely agree. See Setsuo Miyazawa's Policing in Japan: A Study in Making Crime.

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