First there was a problem with publishing this hence the delay.Second this is a two part account of my recent encounter with the Japanese Police...
Ok so to begin...riding my bicycle home two Thursday nights ago (April 13) I was stopped by two members of the local police force.They wanted to check my bicycle and also my Alien Registration Card.Bicycle theft is a major crime in Japan and much time and effort is spent fighting this threat to the fabric of society.I'm required as a non Japanese resident living here to carry the Alien Registration Card at all times.They noted the details and also the number of my bike.
Despite a communication gap I was polite so were they.I explained that I'd bought the bicycle second hand and we parted amicably.Or so I thought...
Last Friday (April 21) the doorbell rang around tea time.Mormons! I thought as I opened the door.No it was the two officers who held in front of me a sheet of paper written in English to the following effect...
"We know you stole the bicycle.If you put it anywhere please tell us.Please come to the station with us."
Well what would you do? I repeated that I'd bought it second hand and that it was downstairs parked along with all the other bikes.I grabbed my coat to accompany the police and help them with their inquiries.
As I was driven to the nearby station I was thinking what would Raskolnikov do? Or Winston Smith?....
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
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1 comment:
Amazing! It took how many officers to follow up on a report of 1 suspected bike theft? Good to know Japan isn't wasting money on silly crimes like drug dealing or extortion...
I think they should just give every police officer a tamagotchi to play with when they're bored.
-Bob.
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