Is it because they’ll get caught speeding? A First in Japan!! The Police Investigation That Secretly Tracked “The Man Who Stole the Speed Camera”

First arrest of its kind nationwide

On June 18 of this year, an incident occurred on a national highway in Kazo City, Saitama Prefecture, in which a “portable speed camera” (purchase price approximately 9 million yen) set up for speeding enforcement was taken by an unknown person. This marks the first time a “portable speed camera” has been stolen nationwide.

“On the day of the incident, two officers from the Kazo Police Station’s Traffic Division were monitoring the area from inside a patrol car parked 100 to 200 meters away from where the speed camera was set up, but it was taken while they looked away. They reportedly didn’t realize it had been stolen for 20 to 30 minutes,” said a reporter from the crime desk of a national newspaper.

About a month later, on July 27, the Saitama Prefectural Police Traffic Guidance Division and the Kazo Police Station arrested Koji Kuramoto (58), a delivery driver from Kazo City, on suspicion of theft. The aforementioned social affairs reporter continued:

“Security camera footage from the area showed that between approximately 11:05 p.m. and 11:15 p.m. on June 18, a light cargo truck driven by suspect Kuramoto passed in front of the speed camera and then turned around.The stolen speed camera also captured footage of a light cargo truck registered to Suspect Kuramoto exceeding the speed limit, which served as the decisive evidence leading to his arrest.”

“During questioning, Suspect Kuramoto stated, ‘I noticed the speed camera flash while driving and turned back to check.’ We suspect he may have stolen it out of fear that his speeding violation would be discovered, and we are investigating the details of the incident.“Although Suspect Kuramoto admits to turning back, he appears to be denying the theft charge, stating, ‘I did not steal it,’” said the aforementioned social affairs reporter.

On July 28, Suspect Kuramoto was referred to the public prosecutor’s office. Appearing at the Kazo Police Station’s escort exit shortly after 8:00 a.m., Suspect Kuramoto showed no signs of nervousness and reportedly appeared to be giving a wry smile to the photographers present.

“It’ll be in the news before long.”

What kind of person is suspect Kuramoto?

He lived with his family in a single-family home located in an older residential neighborhood about a 30-minute walk from the nearest station. According to a neighbor, “I’ve said hello to him at the trash collection area in the morning; he seems like a quiet, unassuming person.”

As our investigation progressed, we learned that the police were already closing in on him just one week after the speed camera was stolen. A man in his 40s who lives near Suspect Kuramoto’s home confided:

“Around June 24, the police came to my house and asked, ‘Could we see your security camera footage?’They wanted to see footage from 7:00 p.m. the previous night until 5:00 a.m. the next morning. Since there were investigators from the prefectural police as well as the Kazo Police Station, I wondered if something major had happened, so I asked, and they said it was a ‘theft.’ They even mentioned, ‘It’ll be on the news soon.’

‘We’ve almost identified the car used in the crime, and this house is on the suspect’s commute route,’ they said. They parked an unmarked patrol car on a vacant lot and staked out the area from 8:00 p.m. until 5:00 a.m. the next morning.”

Some residents also witnessed the arrest.

“A little after 7:00 a.m., a black car pulled up in front of Mr. Kuramoto’s house, and five or six men dressed in dark clothing got out and went inside. About ten minutes later, Mr. Kuramoto—wearing a white T-shirt—came out with the men, and they got right into the car.

Perhaps wary of a getaway attempt, police officers were stationed a short distance away, watching the arrest. As soon as the car carrying Mr. Kuramoto pulled away, another police car followed it.”

The stolen speed camera has not yet been found. Will this “portable speed camera”—the first of its kind in the country to be stolen—be able to safely return to duty?

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