SAITAMA (TR) – Saitama Prefectural Police have arrested a 58-year-old delivery driver on suspicion of stealing a highly expensive portable speed enforcement camera from a roadside in Kazo City, reports NHK (July 28).
Koji Kuramoto, a local resident, was taken into custody on Thursday on suspicion of theft. Upon his arrest, he denied the allegations.
The brazen theft took place on the night of June 18. Two Saitama Prefectural Police officers had set up the portable speed camera on the side of a road to catch violators. However, the officers were waiting inside a parked car approximately 100 meters away and completely failed to notice the device being taken.
Investigators eventually tracked down Kuramoto after analyzing security camera footage from the surrounding area. The footage allegedly showed the suspect’s vehicle passing the speed trap before turning around and heading back to the spot where the camera was deployed.
The stolen device, purchased by Saitama police five years ago, is valued at approximately 9 million yen. It has yet to be recovered.
Following the embarrassing lapse in security, the Saitama Prefectural Police Traffic Guidance Division issued an apology.
“We are deeply sorry for the trouble this has caused,” a representative stated. “We will thoroughly enforce guidance and training moving forward.”
