The lighter side of crime

[thomas]

Japan's Worst Crimefighters 2002

A bungled car chase in Yamaguchi Prefecture in January forewarned Japan of some of the less than impressive moments its crimefighters would go through during 2002. During the 90-minute chase, one police patrol car sank in a pond and another slammed into a crash barrier while the suspected thief they were chasing dumped his vehicle and escaped on foot. The cops did catch someone, but it turned out to be an innocent man who happened to be carrying a screwdriver.

=> http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/news/20021...ss026000c.html

Japan's Dumbest Criminals 2002

Japanese have a reputation throughout the world for being polite. A trait, it seems, that event extends into the world of crime. A confessed Nagoya robber probably took the propensity for politeness too far when he returned to a convenience store he'd held up to apologize, but at the same time giving police time to arrest him.

At least he went through with the heist - another gracious bandit abandoned his hold-up before it was finished simply because he'd forgotten to wear the mask he intended to use.

Almost as dumb was the would-be bandit who burst into an Aichi Prefecture gun shop with a wooden sword and demanded a weapon. Although the shop owner fought him off without resorting to using any of his products, it's hard not to see the crime was doomed from the start.

=> http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/news/20021...ss012000c.html