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A youth who has uploaded a series of prank videos on YouTube, including one on Jan 11 in which he inserted a toothpick into a snack package in a supermarket, has been identified by police.
Police on Thursday issued an arrest warrant for the 19-year-old suspect, who lives in Mitaka in Tokyo.
NTV reported that police were able to identify him after examining a video shot at a convenience store in Musashino, Tokyo, in which he took a bottle of iced tea, drank from it and left the store without paying for it.
On Wednesday, he posted a video saying he had better go on the run, and then on Thursday night, the suspect uploaded a video in which he said into the camera: "OK everyone, so here I am at Narita Airport."
The case came to light after a video was uploaded to YouTube on Jan 11, in which someone is seen stabbing a toothpick into the package of a snack food at a supermarket in Chofu, Tokyo.
The video begins with the man’s voice saying “Are you all well? This is ‘prank at the supermarket’ round 2!” He then takes a toothpick and walks up to a display filled with dry goods and snacks. He uses the toothpick to pierce the top of one of the packages, pushes it in and then exits the store without purchasing anything.
That video has received more than 500,000 views so far.
The store was forced to pull many products from the shelves, and inform customers to be wary of a toothpick that may have been placed into the snack food, NTV reported Wednesday.
Police discovered that the same YouTube user had uploaded another prank video on Jan 4, in which he committed a similar act at a separate supermarket.
The various stores say they have had to warn their customers and dispose of large quantities of goods.
Police say the suspect has a record of offenses going back to 2013 when he uploaded a video on YouTube in which he said he was going to kill someone outside JR Hakata Station in Fukuoka.
In other videos, he boasted that because he was a minor, the police wouldn't be able to do anything to him.
© Japan Today
33 Comments
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jcapan
What an intoxicating mix of narcissism and sociopathy. His parents must be mighty proud.
StormR
Absolute attention seeking jack off, get him, give him counselling for his screwed up behaviour. Make him also compensate those stores who had to discard products and then put him in the can for 5 years to reflect on his actions.
Once he is released put him on supervision.
Kcquitano
Ahhh, in America he'd be a very popular kid with the other inmates, I'm sure in Japan hell be popular with the guards.
khulifi
This man should be locked for the rest of his life ... he does not worth to breath fresh air.
rickyvee
i think forrest gump was right: stupid is as stupid does.
HongoTAFEinmate
I know this guy is a minor under Japanese law, but how do the cops expect to catch him if the media are not allowed to print his name? Does anybody else see a problem with this?
Hiro Ueda
...the police may not be able to do anything but if I can get my hands on him...
Knox Harrington
Another one of Japan's many people with questionable mental health... Wonder if it's an inbreeding thing or a societal thing.
At first, I didn't see the big deal about his 'pranks', and couldn't see why they'd want to arrest him, but seeing as he's mentioning killing people, I see the seriousness here. Too bad there are thousands like him around.
papigiulio
Let me know if its a big deal when you have a toothpick stuck in your tongue or throat.
This is a sick individual, I really hope he will get caught before he hurts anyone.
Wakarimasen
He should be arrested just for being called a "YouTube prankster".......
kikokiko
I think he want to be paid attention to by everyone. The most effective way to avoid from him is that we ignore him. Of course, we can't ignore what he did...........
quercetum
Can we get a link?
Mirai Hayashi
matter of time
gogogo
Moron, police would have stopped him if he actually tried to get on a plane and uploading the video to youtube basically saying "I'm faking it"
nath
Police think he is mostly uploading vie free WiFi.
He is on the run now cops know quiet a lot about him. As was said just a matter of time.
TokyoLurker
of course he won't really be leaving on Narita, that is just a bluff.
Mirai Hayashi
He seems to be some kind of political activist rallying against laws that give minors (under age 20) lenient penalties for the crimes they commit. If this is so, I respect his views, but the means he's trying to bring them to light.
Knox Harrington
Yeah, I'll let you know, alright. I'll also let you know when I become dumb enough not to feel if I have a toothpick in my mouth and bite down or swallow it without thinking...
AlexCook
Sorry kid only in America you could get away with it.
Mirai Hayashi
To his point, because of these stupid minor laws, the news and police cannot show his face making it even more difficult to catch him. If they abolished these laws that protect minors who commit crimes, his face could be published making it easier to catch him...oh the irony of it all.
nath
Looks like he posted another video from a net-cafe, complaining escaping is tough while chucking down a beer.
Another video shows him drawing cash from an ATM.
kdotson1965
IT will be very interesting when reality hits him full in the face and he faces charges as an adult
smithinjapan
"In other videos, he boasted that because he was a minor, the police wouldn’t be able to do anything to him."
So, let's hear the police finally start using their ability to charge minors as adults (something they actually ARE starting to do, like with the arson case the other day in which two people died). If some say the 'pranks' weren't serious enough, I say that posting a video saying you are going to murder someone and police can 'do nothing about it because (you are) a minor' is incredibly serious, and a crime on many levels. As a kind of special permission for being put in the slammer as a 'minor', the police can allow him to post videos of him being tossed around by the other prisoners.
AlexCook: "Sorry kid only in America you could get away with it."
What on earth does that mean? In the US such a death threat would be dealt with extremely harshly, and not only that they would have had the guy ages ago and had IP addresses and IDs from the YouTube site and caught him ages ago.
YuriOtani
Smith one underage offender should not be the reason to change the system. In the land of the fee (USA) they have a bigger percentage of their population behind bars than Mainland China. The American system turns them into criminals for life. Japan will do what is best for Japan in this internal concern.
NathalieB
They already ARE criminals. Recidivism rates are not 100% in America and there are many many many examples of people turning their lives around.
Yes. Slap him on the wrist and set him free to do someone some real damage.
nigelboy
Smith. The police "charges" individual based on the criminal code, whether that be minors or adults.
JTDanMan
I think this guy fits the description of "dumb punk"
UK9393
Name and shame the idiot. As for the article, he's a 'youth' with a 'man's' voice. Which is it? Man or youth?
3RENSHO
Yesterday he posted a new video of himself shoplifting from the convenience store inside JR Hamamatsu station. He seems to be headed in the direction of Nagoya...
badman
Anyone who supports charging minors as adults is ignorant of brain science. Of course there should be repercussions, but holding them to the same level of moral maturity as an adult is absurd. Our brains do not process risk/reward effectively until about 25 years of age, so our juvenile justice systems need to be reflective of that. The US system of charging pre-teens for capital murder is almost as stupid as Sharia law.
I would suggest all those dying for revenge, especially for petty prank crimes committed by a kid basically, need a mental health evaluation.
turbotsat
Maybe we are not ignorant but just have different views than you, that the job of society is to protect its members, and that it should abandon those who abandon it. The laws shouldn't make exceptions for age, personal history (even when no fault of the perpetrator's), ability to hire expensive lawyers, etc etc etc, but it routinely does. Laws should be strictly defined and judges strictly required to strictly enforce them. All the play in the system definitely benefits somebody but it isn't society as a whole.
nath
Glad to hear it.