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Police in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, said Tuesday that around 16,000 New Year greeting cards ("nengajo") have been stolen from 26 Lawson convenience stores. Security cameras have captured footage of two men who are believed to be the thieves.
According to police, a store manager contacted police on Sunday night after he noticed that a number of cards had been stolen, TBS reported. By early Monday morning, police said they had received word that a total of 26 stores in the area had been affected by similar robberies.
The greetings cards went on sale at the end of October for ￥52 each. So far, a total of 16,165 cards worth ￥840,000 have been stolen, police said.
© Japan Today
17 Comments
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khulifi
In fact there is serial number on each card , post office can invalidate them
Nessie
The average Jo can't invalidate them, so the thieves can still sell them. Unless you think the perps will be writing and sending the cards themselves.
M3M3M3
After they sell the cards, lack of security at Lawson shops is hardly the concern of the Post Office. I'm sure Lawson is insured anyway.
It would be rather cruel to somehow invalidate them (if that is even possible) seeing as they have probably be sold on to the unsuspecting elderly.
Jeff Ogrisseg
It's likely that they've been selling in bulk to those discount ticket shops you see everywhere. Still, this averages out to more than 600 per store, which is a lot of missing inventory to not notice sooner.
masri
maybe the thieves attempt to create the Guiness record, "the most Christmas greeting card delivered from a person"
SenseNotSoCommon
The Grinch That Stole Oshogatsu!
jojo_in_japan
Imagine one of those cards wins the Jackpot ?! Then, the card would be invalid I'd think.
Christopher Glen
Checked the local retirement home?
khulifi
Jojo in the past 30 years , I only 5 times I win a set of 2 stamps ( in one sheet ) each 50 yen .... there is no Jackpot
Ken Kitsune
the comments here made me laugh! especially the many friends comment! But seriously, how can this happen to many different store and not be caught, wow
Disillusioned
All coming to a flea market near you soon!
serendipitous
khulifi
More than a billion are sent every year so you are lucky to have won anything!
Elizabeth Heath
They're going to have terrible writer's cramp.
CrazyJoe
The odds of winning the first prize (10,000 yen) is 1 in 100,000. Second prize (Furusato parcel) is 1 in 10,000. Third prize (Otoshidamae sheet) is 1 in 50.
sensei258
If we could just get them to steal all of the "Odoshidama" envelopes in my area, I'd be very happy.