In Fukuoka, Japan, local police have concluded their investigation into a string of thefts involving delivery boxes, leading to the arrest of a 38-year-old part-time worker who allegedly used absence notification slips to steal from residents. The incidents, which occurred between April and August of the previous year, involved the theft of items worth approximately 95,000 yen from eight different locations including clothing, cosmetics, and a scale. The situation came to light after a woman reported her order missing from her delivery box in July, prompting an investigation that identified the suspect through security camera footage.

The arrested individual acknowledged his actions, citing financial struggles following his company's bankruptcy as the motive for his thefts. Authorities noted that he had been reselling the stolen items on various flea market platforms online, including Mercari. During a search of his rented apartment, police confiscated around 200 items categorized as household goods and miscellaneous items, which he claimed were also stolen, although these additional thefts have not yet been formally charged.

This case raises concerns about the security of delivery systems in residential areas, especially as more consumers turn to online shopping. The use of absence notification codes for theft underscores vulnerabilities in current delivery protocols and might prompt discussions on enhancing security measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.