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A Hyogo Prefecture police officer has been indicted after attempting to extort a member of the public in order to get money to pay off debt that he racked up ... playing a social video game.
Takahiro Ueyama was arrested on charges of attempted extortion after his would-be victim went to the police with the note he’d left proposing the exchange of police property for cash.
After recording an interview with a woman during a traffic stop on June 10, Ueyama used information he had gathered to locate her home and identify her vehicle. On July 2, he left a letter on the woman’s car offering to sell her the incriminating video.
The next day, the woman went to the police with the note and asked for help. It wasn’t long before Ueyama was arrested for the alleged crime and the story went public.
Ueyama, who is 44 years old, began his career as a police officer in 1989 and was promoted just this year. Aside from this case, there had been no signs of misconduct on his part.
So, why did this 24-year veteran with no history of criminal mischief turn to extortion? Ueyama had racked up debt of over 500,000 yen purchasing items for a game he’d become addicted to. His charges for June alone were over 200,000 yen. It seems that he’d been buying items worth several thousand yen one after the other, and later claimed on his affidavit that the game was his only joy.
Finding himself unable to pay such a large bill, Ueyama seemingly could think of no other option — though he partially denies the allegations, claiming that he didn’t really intend to take any money.
Sources: Hachima Kiko, Asahi Shimbun
Read more stories from RocketNews24. -- What can 20 mil yen buy you? A high-ranking Aichi police officer, apparently -- Police Provide Murderer With Victim’s Address -- 2 Cops Arrested for Kissing Female Officers and Demanding they Swap Clothes
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21 Comments
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CrazyJoe
I'm amazed.
Get Real
I'm not!
Mirai Hayashi
Stupid cop! How can a routine traffic stop be incriminating enough to try to extort money off of. Like who would really care??
I always wondered what kind of idiot would spend money to purchase items in a game app.
Lilic
Seriously? Get a life !
nath
An idiot!
avatarfx
Then the police chief says that they are looking after the issue and that they will take measures to restore public trust. Oh wait, that was on yesterday's news :/
Crazedinjapan
Wow, we went from police extorting confessions from people falsely accused to police extorting money....they probably weren't going to do anything about it....lady probably threatened to use the media to have her case handled
taj
I thought those games became subject to strict monthly sales limits via a new gatccha law last year. Of to google...
Nessie
Incriminating how?
pizzatime
Social video game??? Is Grand Theft Auto an antisocial video game then?
taj
Compugacha. Apparently in May 2012, some games were deemed to violate some gambling law. In advance of that, around March 2012, DeNA and Gree both imposed low monthly spending limits for children, in hopes of preventing a crippling crack-down on their in-game purchasing models.
Perhaps there is more yet to be done. (I'd be happy to see crackdown on Pachinko first, ,,,)
gogogo
What game is thaT?
Kent Mcgraw
Reduced pay for one month and say you are sorry and promise not to do it again.
nath
" Mirai Hayashi Aug. 14, 2013 - 08:37AM JST
Stupid cop! How can a routine traffic stop be incriminating enough to try to extort money off of. Like who would really care??
I always wondered what kind of idiot would spend money to purchase items in a game app."
So you are saying people who spend money on purchasing items in games are idiots? So people who buy Music download online are considered idiots to? pretty ignorant in the way you think. If people want to spend "their"money in buying games items, let them be" its their money" I dont call you an idiot for buying shoes, purse, make-up or any "services" that I beleive is stupid and not needed.
As for the cop, Addiction is a killer, Shouldnt have spent the money that he doesnt have and trying to extort it out of a person, is just plain stupid, Notice how he said "he didnt intend to take the money" after he was caught, but you know damn well that if he wasnt caught, he would of went through with it.
wanderlust
The taint of arrest or suspicion of a crime here is often enough to get you fired from your job, whether guilty or not; and a number of people who have been 'arrested', or facing alleged criminal charges have killed themselves, as they felt that life was over for them. Falsification of evidence, rigorous interrogation and forced confessions have not helped the suspects at all. No doubt the officer was hoping that the women would prefer to avoid all of this and quietly pay up....
cramp
forgive the man, its his only joy in life...like can you put a price on that?
at least he didn't take any upskirt pics
isoducky
Candy Crush Saga, strikes again!!
MeanRingo
I'm just glad he didn't use the old "I was drunk and angry, so I committed the crime as retribution" excuse.
Mirai Hayashi
@Kim S Mao
Yes...someone who spends their entire monthly salary on game app items is an idiot.
nath
Do we know which game? Also, I thought the games take the money upfront? Was this debt on his credit card?
nath
1 Good| Bad Mirai HayashiAug. 15, 2013 - 11:05AM JST
@Kim S Mao
Yes...someone who spends their entire monthly salary on game app items is an idiot.
i would agree with you here, but you didnt put that in your first post you only put "people who spend money on items in games are idiots"