"If You Take My Umbrella, I Curse You"... Summer Umbrella Theft on the Rise [Sunday Culture]

A man in his 70s who broke in and stole only umbrellas
400 stolen umbrellas found at his home
"You will be cursed if you take an umbrella" theft prevention stickers also popular

Before we know it, the summer rainy season has begun. It has become weather where an umbrella is essential. The rain pours down heavily, then suddenly the sun shines brightly as if nothing happened, and carrying an umbrella all the time is bothersome... I really don’t know which way to go. Japan, where the rainy season lasts even longer than in our country, often has landslide warnings and heavy rain advisories on Yahoo Japan these days.

So today, I finally bring up a topic I’ve wanted to introduce since last year during the rainy season. At one time, our country had a meme about 'Eombokdong’s country,' saying that even though the public safety was so good, bicycles still got stolen?'bicycle thieves.' Japan has a similar kind of thief. It’s the 'umbrella thief' who appears especially frequently in the summer. In a country with a long rainy season, having your umbrella stolen must be incredibly frustrating. Because of this, there are even stickers you can put on umbrellas. Although they are rare these days, I thought it would be interesting to cover this topic. Today, I will tell you about umbrella thieves in Japan.

70-Year-Old Umbrella Thief Draws Media Attention... 450 Umbrellas Stolen Inside His Home

This week, Japanese media such as TV Asahi reported on a 70-year-old 'phantom umbrella thief.' On the 3rd, a man in his 70s was arrested by the police on suspicion of theft after stealing high-end umbrellas from a garage of a house in Kanazawa city and was later sent to the prosecutor’s office.

The man reportedly broke into the garage of a 50-year-old man he did not know four times between May 14 and 18 this year. What he took from the garage was nothing but umbrellas. Over those four times, he stole 12 umbrellas from the garage. The total value was about 12,000 yen (102,600 won).

There were multiple reports to the police from people who had their umbrellas stolen by this man, and the police staked out near the garage. When the police caught him in the act of trying to steal again and asked, "Where did you get that umbrella?" he admitted to the crime without resistance. When the police searched the thief’s home, about 450 umbrellas were found, most of which were high-end. The method of theft involved taking umbrellas hanging at restaurants or entrances without permission.

A man in his 70s stealing umbrellas. (Photo by NNN News)

Why was he so obsessed with umbrellas? The man said his motive was "I wanted to make aesthetically beautiful umbrellas mine." He was truly an extraordinary umbrella thief.

In fact, on Yahoo Japan’s Q&A section similar to our country’s Knowledge iN, questions like "Why do Japanese people steal umbrellas?" have been posted for a long time. It often happens when used umbrellas are left in umbrella stands. Someone even lamented, "I left my umbrella in the company umbrella stand, but it disappeared."

There are even posts introducing theft prevention methods. In Japan, transparent vinyl umbrellas are used very frequently. Because old and new ones look the same, they are the easiest to be stolen. The more eye-catching and fancy the design, the higher the psychological barrier against taking it, so those are less likely to be stolen.

“If You Take My Umbrella, I Will Curse You” ? Theft Prevention Stickers Appear

Because of this, some people put theft prevention stickers on the handles. During this season, you can often find umbrella theft prevention stickers on Amazon or Rakuten. Usually, if you search for 'umbrella theft prevention seal' or 'umbrella theft prevention sticker,' you will find them. The stickers are advertised as waterproof, easy to attach, leaving no trace when removed, effective against theft, and even suitable as gifts.

Umbrella theft prevention sticker. It warns that "even vinyl umbrellas constitute theft." (Photo by Amazon Japan)

There are various phrases designed to discourage theft. Some stickers have red letters on a black background saying, "Even vinyl umbrellas are subject to theft laws." Others say, "Look carefully! This is not your umbrella!" to avoid confusion. Another one reads, "If you steal, it’s theft! According to Penal Code Article 235." The most chilling are stickers that curse umbrella thieves, with phrases like "If you take my umbrella, you will be cursed" and "If you steal this umbrella, a curse of misfortune will be upon you." That would definitely make anyone think twice before taking it.

Various umbrella anti-theft stickers. (Photo by Amazon Japan)

Japan Consumes 80 Million Vinyl Umbrellas Annually... 'Disposable Umbrella Zero Project' Also Launched

With all the stealing, taking, exchanging, and buying new ones, Japan has become a country that consumes an enormous number of disposable vinyl umbrellas. Japan’s annual umbrella consumption is about 130 million, ranking first in the world. In fact, 60-70% of all umbrellas consumed are vinyl umbrellas, and environmental issues related to plastic waste have recently come to the forefront. As a result, umbrella-sharing services have also appeared.

A company called Aikasa has installed umbrella storage facilities in major buildings and stations, allowing users to pay via an application (app) to take an umbrella and pay for the usage within 24 hours. This is convenient for companies since they can return the umbrella the next day. Aikasa has launched the 'Disposable Umbrella Zero Project' aiming to drastically reduce the proportion of disposable umbrellas by 2030 and is collaborating with many companies.

Shared umbrella application (app) 'iKasa'. (Photo by iKasa website)

Today, we looked at various stories related to umbrellas in Japan. It would be quite distressing if your umbrella disappeared suddenly in a downpour... It’s surprising that even in Japan, known for its good public safety, umbrellas are targeted. I hope our readers avoid having their umbrellas stolen, swapped, or left behind at restaurants this summer.

Oh, next week, 'Nihonjin Side' and 'Nichiyobi Bunka' will take a break. We will recharge and come back with more interesting topics.