Man arrested for stealing rice ball after taking part in ramen contest in Yamagata

Tuesday 17th February, 09:25 AM JST

YAMAGATA —

A 53-year-old man was arrested on Monday on suspicion of theft, after a convenience store employee saw him take a rice ball set from the shelves and leave the store without paying. Police said the employee held the man until police arrived.

Tokusuke Ogawa, unemployed and of no fixed address, told police he took the wrong train from Akita on Saturday. He said that after getting off the train in Shinjo City, Yamagata Prefecture, and paying the train fare, he had less than 100 yen on him.

Ogawa told police he took part in a ramen speed-eating contest organized by Shinjo City on Sunday in conjunction with the Shinjo Snow Festival. Ogawa said that he was able to fill himself up and enjoy the festival, but that he became hungry again later that night.

News reports

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Latest 15 of 24 Total Comments Show All

shoguinn1 at 11:22 AM JST - 17th February

Send me the bill for the Rice ball I'll pay for it.
dennis0bauer at 12:23 PM JST - 17th February

Free riceballs in the holding cell!
Tezbo at 12:24 PM JST - 17th February

Good One Sarge!! OTFLMAO

Tezbo
soldave at 12:32 PM JST - 17th February

Good to see JT is covering the big issues facing Japan today.
Yelnats at 12:34 PM JST - 17th February

throw the book at him
presto345 at 12:57 PM JST - 17th February

My god, what an overkill.
mrhog123 at 02:18 PM JST - 17th February

If he goes to jail he will get three hots and a cot. Not a bad trade, ne?
jpopexpress at 02:40 PM JST - 17th February

Kudos for this one - this gave me a good laugh! (And I wonder what hotdog-sucking champ Kobayashi-san would have to say about this! Haha - again thanks for this one- LOL) :)
jpopexpress at 02:43 PM JST - 17th February

shoguinn1 at 11:22 AM JST - 17th February

Send me the bill for the Rice ball I'll pay for it.

Hey me too - I'll buy that dude one rice ball haha :p
bdiego at 04:10 PM JST - 17th February

Why is this news? Oh right we're in a look-for-trite-recession-anecdote frenzy these days, carry on.
BBLeo at 05:40 PM JST - 17th February

Another unemployed and take my word this is only beginning of 2009. If he stole from me 'rice ball' I wouldn't call police but will give him some other food, and than will kick him out from store. Why bother calling police when person hasn't got a job and money? I'm sure that next time he will walk instead of taking train.
BBLeo at 05:41 PM JST - 17th February

Next time he should grab a small bowl of soup, drink it quick, and evidence will be washed out.
WMD at 05:44 PM JST - 17th February

Oh wow, crime of the century!
ca1ic0cat at 10:09 PM JST - 17th February

right after that he was going to park his bicycle illegally...
blackstarrr2003 at 10:10 AM JST - 18th February

Greedy bastard!!! throw as shoe at him...