Robbers and Cops

Exact spot where we were robbed.

Yesterday marked 6 months after we were robbed of more than 200000yen worth of personal belongings while taking time out on Zushi beach. Just the day before a friend came over for a visit and while talking about Japan somehow we started on the down side of the Japanese system. Just as an example we told our friend who is quite new to Japan about what had happened to us and how we were treated by the law enforcers.

We all know and sometimes took advantage of the fact that Japanese people are too honest. In public areas and cafes or restaurants we assume its safe to leave our belongings and wander off. I did that way too many times in Japan that whenever I spot someone in a restaurant walking around with their bags I would assume that they must have had trust issues or something. I mean who would want to carry around 2 kilos on your shoulder while getting a drink? right?.

Then 6 months ago my boyfriend and I went to the beach just to chill out when we were robbed. The worst part was it was done by fellow foreigners. And whats sadder was the Japanese who saw what happened but wouldn't come forward. We were not the only ones whose belongings were stolen but a few Japanese and tourists. They lost more than we did, passports, luggage , wallets and more. They were on their way to the airport but decided to take a breather before boarding the plane.

No one saw any thing but my boyfriend and I were aware of a few strange occurrence, like the piece of cloth that landed on our beach. We then spotted the same kind of cloth among other belongings but thought nothing of it. We also realise that whoever stole our things know where we were at that time and its definitely a group thing. Then we conclude with: on our right were a bunch of foreigners (from a particular country that I will not name) that took up nearly 100metres of space and to our left are a mixture of other foreigners and Japanese. So we were robbed in broad daylight and while we exchange stories it became clear that whoever did that wasn't working alone and they knew where we were at that particular moment. I was gone for 10 minutes when I return all my things were thrown everywhere and my valuables was gone.

The foreigners to our right unfortunately went on as if nothing happened. Either they were high on dope or just pretending to not notice but you don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to figure it all out.

When the police came they insisted that we fill out documents saying that we lost a few things. They discourage us to make a formal complaint that we were being robbed. Telling us that its just too much paper work and all the bullshit they can find. We didn't give in to their demand however, the rest of the Japanese who were also robbed just suck it in and left. After 2 hours the police finally give in to us and let us file a formal statement then all they could say was " We will call you if we find anything". They were just a bunch of assholes, by the time we left we were more pissed at the Police than the thieves. They told the french tourist to go to their embassy and accuse me of being drunk and maybe I lost my personal belongings somewhere else. Maybe it wasn't stolen. My boyfriend was so mad he nearly punch the police officers. Just a bunch of suckers in blue.

That incident reminds me of a friend who was the victim of a hit and run incident. About an hour later another friend found him lying by a bush and called the ambulance. The ambulance made it in good time but the hospitals all refused, for a few hours the ambulance just circle around looking for a hospital when finally one local clinic 3 hours away accepted him. All that fuss just because the Hospitals don't want a bad record if a patient dies at their hospital but cmon! how will you know til you try something. Another Japanese teenager died because of the same thing.

Even Universities wont fail a student just because they don't want to record it. They will give as many chances as possible even allowing the student to sit a paper he already sat for. Exactly the same paper over and over again til that student passes just so that the university can keep their image. But this is bullshit!

Yesterday we decided to go back to the same beach and make peace with all that and put it behind us. We've been carrying around our hatred towards the police for so long that it started to get to us. We went back and it was good to let go of everything, revisit where it all happen and then move on from there.

We foreigners seem to forget that true the Japanese are very honest and respectful people but don't be fooled there are other people around besides Japanese. And its true if you lost your bicycle, it will be found because its just another Japanese in a rush to go somewhere but for sure it will be found. If its an umbrella during a heavy rain oh well that often happen but ones things for sure the Japanese are not into petty theft.