Police to conduct survey on 2,000 shoplifting suspects to find out their motives

Sunday 12th April, 06:58 AM JST

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aikisako at 01:42 PM JST - 12th April

Not so sure if shoplifting becomes a 'gateway' to other crimes...but they'll find out soon enough. They really should apply their efforts into more serious offenses.
TokyoHustla at 04:31 PM JST - 12th April

Problem: They wanted something and didn't have enough money.

Solution: More easy credit.

Consequence: GDP improves, we at banks make more bank.
sharky1 at 04:41 PM JST - 12th April

Hahahahahahahaha....They think they are going to get honest answers from dishonest people? What are these people thinking???
humblesamurai at 05:35 PM JST - 12th April

Money was spent on PACHINKO and nothing left for food.
mikekishii at 06:13 PM JST - 12th April

Poverty and drug addiction will be the main reasons.....simple as that !
neverknow2 at 06:47 PM JST - 12th April

isn't a suspect somebody who hasn't been convicted yet?

In any normal country, yes. It is. In Japan, if someone points the finger, you are guilty.
Disillusioned at 09:24 PM JST - 12th April

They are just bored with society and trying liven it up a bit. There are only so many hours you can out in at Saizerya, reading manga and playing video games before one really needs to find something else exciting to do. Why not shoplifting? Their 15 minutes of fame in front of their peers. Well done! I think most people go trough the clepto phase in their early to mid teens. as much as the article doesn't state what age groups are responsible, I'd take a stab at most being in their mid-twenties - teenagers to the rest of the modern world.
PaulieWalnuts at 11:51 PM JST - 12th April

I would have to disagree. I'd expect most shoplifters arrested in Japan to be over 60 years old.
tuneintokyo at 02:37 AM JST - 13th April

5 finger discount is what they were after.
eriktellier at 02:59 AM JST - 13th April

No, nothing is that simple. Many factors are involved in the problem. Amongs them, you have the arrogance of a system based on mercantilism which cultivate the desir of people with an abundance of advertising, instead of reducing it ; this same system promesses too much, doesn't give enough and make you feel stupid if you are not rich. Beside, many shops encourage shop lifting because they have a good insurance ; they complain but it serves them when sales are down... In final, shop lifters are as dangerous as a fire cracker for a society whereas speculators are as dangerous as an atomic bomb for the society; unluckily, police is that stupid that they persecute intensely the poors and are laxist with the richs, believing deeply that they do the right thing. That's life.
TokyoHustla at 05:19 AM JST - 13th April

eriktellier,

Look up mercantilism in the dictionary. It hasn't been around for some time mate.
Coolasapool at 02:19 PM JST - 13th April

I know a clepto woman here who just likes the thrill.. boosts ashtrays from around the world and plants from hotels.. she has the dosh, but just the rush I guess.. nut!
soldave at 02:50 PM JST - 13th April

Shame they don't have such a proactive mindset of things like finding Ichihashi. But let's just see what mysteries this survey will unlock.
dennis0bauer at 03:19 PM JST - 13th April

because japan doesn't have a social security plan?
ca1ic0cat at 09:09 PM JST - 13th April

I would guess kleptomania or poverty. Or perceived poverty.

There was a senior level manager at Xerox who got caught stealing white shirts from a store in the US. Rather than fire the guy XRX sent him to head up the south American operation. Then they found out about the books being cooked by bogus "sales" of equipment right at the end of a quarter. The equipment would be shipped to a warehouse and then returned after the results had posted.

Gee, I wonder how that happened. A rich guy stealing shirts is kleptomania. A poor guy stealing is poverty. But trust a klepto to really get into corruption....