Fire brigade arsonist alerts police to his own crimes

Saturday 20th June, 07:49 AM JST

TOKYO —

A 19-year-old member of a Suginami Ward fire brigade has been arrested on suspicion of arson after a series of suspicious fires that began last month.

The man is suspected of setting fire to rubbish and buckets at a residence in Suginami on June 12. According to police investigators, the man called 119 on his mobile phone from the scene of the fire and then assisted the firemen who arrived to extinguish the blaze. Since May, a series of 10 fires at buildings, cars and rubbish dumps have erupted in the area, and almost every time the suspect happened to be on the scene to discover the flames.

Police said he has admitted to the charges, testifying, “I got into a fight with my girlfriend and did it because I was pissed off.”

News reports

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12 Comments

buggerlugs at 10:16 AM JST - 20th June

He was pissed off? Is that appropriate language for a report?

Moderator: It is a quote.
bobbafett at 11:54 AM JST - 20th June

almost every time the suspect happened to be on the scene to discover the flames

The fire starter is an idiot.
Samuraiiki at 01:17 PM JST - 20th June

Hurry up and get those special funds released for mental hospitals and treatment of mental illnesses. People are losing their screws over this part of the World. And I even got a flat tire from one of their screws.
BBLeo at 04:52 PM JST - 20th June

Police should thank him for his honesty to admit his crime. “I got into a fight with my girlfriend and did it because I was pissed off.” So if get into the same situation than I should burn down the whole city. She was lucky that he didn't kill her like others do.
DeepAir65 at 05:19 PM JST - 20th June

wow some times the J cops can put 1 and 1 together and come up with 2!!!!
Goals0 at 05:29 PM JST - 20th June

'mushakusha' vexed; irritated; fretful; in ill humor.
pandatJoya at 09:28 PM JST - 20th June

'mushakusha' vexed; irritated; fretful; in ill humor

All and good, but not many people actually speak like that
Goals0 at 09:32 AM JST - 21st June

pandat You're right of course. But mod's "It is a quote" is weak. Something like 'I was mad' would have been a better translation.
Den Den at 10:24 AM JST - 21st June

What is it about Japanese and starting small fires. I no two areas near my home where there are serial fires.
tjfrancis at 02:53 PM JST - 21st June

wow some times the J cops can put 1 and 1 together and come up with 2!!!!

yes, but it took a series of 10 fires..
Informed at 11:03 PM JST - 21st June

If every guy started a fire every time their woman made them angry this solar system would have a second sun by now.
mindovermatter at 10:30 AM JST - 22nd June

Police said he has admitted to the charges, testifying, “I got into a fight with my girlfriend and did it because I was pissed off.”

What a country...

A country of 12 year olds and generations of them to come, except now, they're not even 12 years old... More like 7 or 8...

Oh... was Macarthur so right....