Hello, everyone. This is Enta.

Is it Obon or a long vacation?

I'm working, lol

This is just right for me.

For us, it’s a precious summer break, but for thieves, it’s a “perfect day to strike” lol

Actually, there are quite a few cases all over the country where, when you go to the job site after a vacation, all the materials have completely disappeared… right?!

Today, we’ll look at what makes a “crime scene easy to rob” from a thief’s perspective.

I'll dig a little deeper based on past experiences and facts lol (though my most memorable experience was an office theft, lol).

1. What Do Burglars Target?

• Items that can be resold for a high price (they sell easily even if your name is written on them)

  • Generators, welders, power tools (Makita and Hitachi brands are especially popular)

  • Copper Wire and Cables (Sold by Weight, Even Used)

• Items that are easy to carry

  • Toolbox, fuel can, small surveying equipment

• Items left unattended and unlocked

  • Stepladders, floodlights, materials, etc.

Highest on Record for Both the Number of Thefts and the Amount of Losses

Wires and Cables (especially copper wires)

• Reason

  • Copper commands high prices as scrap metal.

  • Stored in bulk at material storage areas or on-site

  • They are relatively easy to cut and recover, making them difficult to track after theft

• Percentage of Damage

  • In 2023, **approximately 80 percent** of the total value of metal thefts nationwide involved cables (National Police Agency data)

  • The total losses amounted to approximately 109.8 billion yen.

• Places That Are Prone to Being Targeted

  • Solar Power Facilities (30–40 percent of all metal thefts occur here)

  • Temporary wiring and material storage areas at construction sites

  • Construction Sites for River Projects and Street Lighting Projects

2. "Easy Targets" from a Burglar's Perspective

• It's completely visible from the outside, and materials and machinery are strewn about haphazardly.

• The fences and gates are low and easy to climb over

• Suburban and mountainous areas with little foot traffic (especially here for slope maintenance workers)

• I can't see any security cameras or sensors.

• The lights are off even at night and on holidays (anyway, here)

3. Times When It's Easy to Steal

• Before the long vacation

  • Work sites will become completely unmanned, and patrols will be reduced

• Days with Rain or Bad Weather

  • It’s easier for surrounding sounds and movements to go unnoticed, and there’s less foot traffic.

• Late at Night to Early Morning

  • At a time when nearby residents are fast asleep

4. Major Theft Cases (Based on Internet Research)

• 2022, Kanto Region: Four generators (total value of approximately 2 million yen) were stolen after the Obon holiday. There were no security cameras, and the point of entry remains unknown.

• 2023, Chubu Region: At night, 300 meters of copper wire was stolen from a construction site in a mountainous area. Although footprints and tire tracks were found, the perpetrator could not be identified.

• 2024, Kyushu Region: During Golden Week, a fence surrounding a materials storage yard was destroyed. A hydraulic excavator was stolen and is believed to have been resold overseas.

  1. Ibaraki Prefecture (2023)
     　Number of reported metal thefts: 2,889 / Highest in the nationMinistry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Research and Development Center+1

  2. Nationwide (2023)
     　Reported cases of metal theft: 20,701; 60 percent occurred in the Kanto regionEnegaeru。

  3. Five Prefectures in the Kanto Region (2023)
     　Chiba: 1,684 cases; Tochigi: 1,464 cases; Gunma: 1,437 cases; Saitama: 1,172 cases

  4. Solar Power Facilities (2023)
     　This accounts for approximately 32.91 TP3T of reported metal thefts nationwide.G-cam: Construction Site Surveillance Cameras and Security Cameras

  5. Solar Power Facilities (First Half of 2024)
     　Percentage: 38.71 TP3T

  6. Total Losses Nationwide (2023)
     　Losses from Metal Theft: Approximately 132.8 billion yen, with cables accounting for about 80%

  7. Total Losses Nationwide (2023)
     　Cables: Approximately 109.8 billion yen; Copper: Approximately 97.7 billion yenNational Police Agency

  8. Arrest Rate (2023)
     　Approximately 19.81 TP3T; showing a downward trend from 2022 to 2023

  9. Arrest Rate (First Half of 2024)
     　Clearance rate for metal cable theft: 5.91 TP3T (Reiwa 5) · 6.11 TP3T (as of the end of June Reiwa 6)

  10. Kadokawa Town, Miyazaki Prefecture (February 3, 2025)
      　Metal Weights for Signs (10 pieces / approx. 40,000 yen) Stolen from River Construction SiteMiyazaki Prefecture Website。

  11. The same town, Kadokawa (that afternoon)
      　Six metal weights (worth approximately 24,000 yen) were stolen from another construction siteMinistry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Research and Development Center。

5. Security Measures the Site Should Take

• High-value items should be removed from the scene (especially small aircraft)

• Ensure that site offices and containers are always locked (cameras may be required both inside and outside).

• Installation of Security Cameras and Motion-Sensor Lights

• Cover the material storage area with a tarp to block the view from the outside

• Regular patrols (arranged through local volunteers even during vacations)

Thieves don't "wait for opportunities"; they "create them."

In other words, if we’re too lenient, they’ll come after us without mercy, even during our vacation.

When it comes to crime prevention, it’s better to go a little overboard!

During this year’s Obon holiday, don’t forget to conduct a security check at the worksite before taking time off.

See you later.