Y40 mil stolen from tsunami-cracked bank vault in Miyagi

$500,000 dollars. Nice Haul. Things like this happen in disaster zones. I hope they donate it to relief funds.

Perhaps I shouldn't say this, but I'm almost impressed with this hardy individual who somehow found time during all-out disaster to commit a spot of larceny. Nevertheless, I would like to see him (or her) caught.

Most likely an inside job.

I applaud the press for being honest, am tired of reading Japanese are superhumans, always polite and honest. Take it from this victim, there are good and bad folks in every country, no exceptions.

cliffworks thanks for the comments... it's true good and bad folks comes in every country and I believe God will punish him (or her) for this crime..... They will never succeed in life!!!

Agree, with Smartacus, most likely an insider job.

When I saw the report on TV, they mentioned that the safe ONLY had an electronic lock which failed due to no power.

So the door could be pulled open easily.

That allowed someone to walk off with 40 million yen

More likely swim away...

wow !!!!!! unbelievable

Well, so much for all the honesty and what not. Still pretty impressive that there's much less looting/crime than you might expect in such a situation, punks stealing donation boxes aside, but goes to show that no nation's people are perfect.

Are the bills marked or anything?

Why would the bills be marked? You've been watching too much TV :-)

How can this be they checked inside the vault only 11 days after the disaster? I know there is the priority for human life, however the management of the bank should have checked whether all the assets were secured, and send it back to another branch if necessary.

I wonder if the "Cabbage" was radioactive? if so That's some "Hot" dough,Folks!

Harry_Gatto at 10:09 AM JST - 23rd March Why would the bills be marked? You've been watching too much TV :-)

Actually if most of the money was from the mint then most countries track which serial numbers are issued (it's how the can check if the delivered amount was correct), so at least some of the money can be identified.

zhazam05 at 10:35 AM JST - 23rd March I wonder if the "Cabbage" was radioactive? if so That's some "Hot" dough,Folks!

This would also be an issue and a way of identifying the money.

I call yakuza

They should take that money and buy stock in Plate Tectonics. It's on the move.

I have to wonder what this person will do with all that money. sigh People taking advantage is as old as time.

$500,000 dollars.

No. As the article clearly states, it was 40 milliion yen. I expect little if any at all of any other currency was involved.

So when the big one hits Okinawa, I'm going to the bank!

Never know what doors may open for you.

So when the big one hits Okinawa, I'm going to the bank!

Never know what doors may open for you.

More likely collapsed sealing, but anyway. Don't blame whoever did this. Bank was probably going to sign it off anyways as the whole area was destroyed.

Reported 11 days later? Cracked open vault? Is this just an assumption that the money was stolen? Or did it wash away? Someone would have had to have known the vault was open if they had to actually pull the door open.

DONATE all that money yen to the victims of this disaster, please.

Only 40 million yen in a bank vault? poor bank..

First reported case of looting!

Not quiet 1st case.

The first case was at the Kirin Factory and a few ATM's also been reported as having been broken open.

If the building was damaged enough to crack open the vault, then I imagine any surviving bank employees were afraid to enter what was left of the structure to check on the status of the vault until the building was stabilized (or at least until the aftershocks reduced in intensity). If it's a choice between my life and other people's bank deposits, guess which one is more important?

This must be a miscount. There is no theft in Japan. Besides, why would someone steal the money in Yen. It'll be worth about one hundred dollars by the time the island quits glowing. Also, does anyone know of a way we can donate money to help the homeless pets?

I think the money is inside the rubble with this dare devil person, probably dead.

convert Y40 mil into USD and it currently as of this date adds up to $494,407.02.

A moderate sum of money stolen from a bank.

convert Y40 mil into USD ...

Why convert it???

why assumed stolen..

sounds like...an inside job