Deputy Priest Nabs Thief Red-Handed
A deputy priest at Myoenji temple in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, caught a man red-handed shortly after midnight on September 27 after surveillance footage showed the same person repeatedly appearing at the temple at around the same time each day. (News On Japan)
A deputy priest at Myoenji Temple in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, apprehended a thief who was caught on security camera footage multiple times at the temple around the same time each day. The footage showed the man entering through a torii gate after midnight on September 27, inspecting an offering box without placing money inside, and then turning it upside down to retrieve the money that spilled out.
The same individual allegedly escaped the scene but was subsequently brought back by another person who identified them as the temple's deputy priest. The deputy priest, who had noticed the pattern through the surveillance cameras, rushed out of his home to catch the suspect. The temple had previously been targeted by offering box thieves on five occasions.
Police arrested 47-year-old unemployed man Noboru Kato on suspicion of stealing 1,500 yen in cash from the offering box. Kato has admitted to the allegation, and authorities plan to investigate whether he was involved in other thefts.
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