MIYAGI (TR) – Police in Sendai City are searching for a vandal caught on security camera destroying a massive granite table at a local shopping arcade before returning to the scene to strike a celebratory pose, reports TV Asahi (Apr. 27).
The brazen act of property damage took place in the early morning hours at the Marble Road Omachi Shopping Street in Aoba Ward.
According to security camera footage, a young man first kicked a nearby signboard and straddled a parked bicycle before setting his sights on a public rest area.
Approaching a heavy granite table, the suspect managed to lift the edge of its massive stone top. The slab, which had served as a popular resting spot since 2009, measures 1 meter wide, 80 centimeters deep, and weighs over 250 kilograms.
With a forceful shove, he slid the heavy stone off its base and sent it crashing to the ground, splitting the solid granite completely in two.
After initially fleeing the scene, the vandal returned moments later to face the security camera, striking a triumphant fist pump (“guts pose”) before disappearing into the night.
The damaged table was cordoned off with traffic cones for safety before finally being removed by workers late last week.
“It’s beyond imagination,” said Koichiro Narumi, Secretary-General of the Omachi Shopping Street Promotion Association, expressing his outrage. “I thought it might just be a simple prank, but I never imagined such a massive tabletop could be dropped and broken in half. He crossed the line. I feel nothing but pure indignation.”
Police have accepted a report from the shopping street association and are currently pursuing the suspect on suspicion of causing property damage.
“I want him to realize the gravity of taking away a place of relaxation for locals and foreign visitors,” Narumi added.
