crime

Osaka tops nationwide bag-snatching stats again

14 Comments

Crime statistics announced by the National Police Agency this week reveal that Osaka has topped the nation in bag-snatching incidents for the second year running.

Statistics collected from each of Japan's prefectural divisions between January and November revealed that with 1,599 reported cases, Osaka remains the prefecture where people are most likely to have their bags stolen by a passing thief, TBS reported. In second place was Saitama Prefecture with 1,222 reported incidents, while Chiba Prefecture, with 1,060 confirmed cases, was third.

Police say Osaka's current figure is down 2.6% on the same period from the previous year, although the figure is expected to rise before the end of the December.

However, police say the number of reported incidents in Tokyo, which had the nation's second-highest number of cases last year, has halved to just 830 reported cases so far this year. The nationwide figure between January and November also decreased by 6.6% on last year. Police predict an overall reduction in bag-snatching incidents for the 10th straight year.

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14 Comments
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Hard times and people desperate for money - so they stick it to the vulnerable . .. . It is very sad.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

although the figure is expected to rise before the end of the December

that may surpass Jan-Nov figure (!)

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Why is it always osaka saitama chiba? and in that following order?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"Why is it always osaka saitama chiba?"

Their respective populations probably have something to do with it. They are the 3rd, 5th and 6th largest respectively. The drop in numbers for Tokyo is strange. Has carrying a bag become unfashionable there? Osaka is always a year or two behind. :-)

0 ( +0 / -0 )

To be fair, no police officers, Japanese or otherwise, would give a toss about your bags being snatched. They'd make a short report at the police station and ask you to go away.

The only difference is that, quite often, the Japanese police know who the bastards are and where they live, as they are typically repeat offenders, but do nothing about it. That's negligence, I guess, in anyone's book.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

That's not true. The repeat offenders are the ones who get busted.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

"Nanya kore??? Mata Osaka ya~"

You'll see more numbers (not only on those prefecture) as the economy rots.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

The only comment I really have about this, other than it's a shame, is that more still needs to be done in terms of personally protecting your belongings. I STILL see middle-aged and older women leaving their bags in the front basket of their bicycles while riding or even going into a shop, and I know they are probably carrying a heap of cash on them. Some have started using those vinyl basket covers, but not enough. Beyond that, hold your bags tight to your body if you can, and I wouldn't carry so much cash.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

A reduction of 2.6% is a success story in my book..

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Perhaps Hashi could address this issue rather than making parties for the country??

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I'm pretty sure "bag snatching" is very different in Japan. The image that most of us have is of some guy running by, bowling over some granny and then grabbing her purse and running off... in Japan I'm pretty sure all you'd need to do is wait around in a park for some person to put down their bag and then walk off to watch their kid play... a couple of minutes later walk over and take the bag. This is probably a non-violent crime in Japan. Japanese people are super-casual about their stuff... after all this is the country where people still walk away and leave their cars unlocked.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

One needs to be fair and look at the crime per capita, you got millions of people living in these cities, heck, with Tokyo wit over 12million residents, and a few more million in Tokyo during the day time from other prefectures for work, school etc, 830 purse snatchings is pretty miniscule in the whole grand scheme of things.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Omedetto gozaimasu for the Osaka Chief of Police, Mayor, and Governor.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Gifts to give your girlfriend this year, a GPS tracker you can sew in that expensive LV bag. you can track that thief in No-Time!

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