Japanese people are renowned for their manners and politeness, but this incident shows just how far that politeness can go. A man recently went into a convenience store, asked the manager if he could rob the place and upon being refused, he left and later turned himself in to police.
The bizarre robbery attempt took place on October 5, at a Lawson convenience store in Ogori City, Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture. According to police, the unnamed man allegedly entered the store at around 1:40 AM and told the manager “I’ve come with the intent to intimidate you and rob this store, may I ask you to please cooperate with me?” in the most unintimidating way possible. He didn’t get the answer he was hoping for so he turned around and walked out quietly without taking anything.
“I can’t do that,” the convenience store manager reportedly told the shockingly polite would-be robber, who then left the store. About five minutes later, he walked into a nearby police station and confessed his attempted robbery. After searching the man, officers discovered a kitchen knife that he had never even pulled out during his polite exchange with the convenience store manager.
Police have charged the polite man with attempted robbery, but are still investigating the motives for the crime. Some media outlets in Japan have suggested that he may have been looking for a way to get arrested the whole time.
The bizarre robbery attempt took place on October 5, at a Lawson convenience store in Ogori City, Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture. According to police, the unnamed man allegedly entered the store at around 1:40 AM and told the manager “I’ve come with the intent to intimidate you and rob this store, may I ask you to please cooperate with me?” in the most unintimidating way possible. He didn’t get the answer he was hoping for so he turned around and walked out quietly without taking anything.
“I can’t do that,” the convenience store manager reportedly told the shockingly polite would-be robber, who then left the store. About five minutes later, he walked into a nearby police station and confessed his attempted robbery. After searching the man, officers discovered a kitchen knife that he had never even pulled out during his polite exchange with the convenience store manager.
