Temporary mailman found stealing cash from mail

Naha Police arrested a 34-year-old man on Monday, who had been hired by Japan Post through a temp agency to work as a temporary mail deliveryman, on suspicion of stealing cash from a registered mail cash delivery envelope, called ‘genkin kakitome.”

According to investigators, Itaru Shinzato is suspected of stealing ¥50,000 from the registered cash envelope on Thursday afternoon, while he was working as a mailman hired from an outsourcing company. Shinzato admits to the charges, saying, “I’m having a hard time in my life, and I couldn’t control myself when I took it.”

Police say, Shinzato was responsible for delivering mail between branch post offices in Naha City, and the Naha Central Post Office. On the day when the theft to place, a 72-year-old man collected his registered cash envelope at Makishi Post Office that had been delivered from Naha Central Post Office, and noticed that the envelope had been opened.

Similar thefts have occurred at Naha Central Post Office in the past, and police are investigating the details.

After Shinzato was apprehended, Japan Post Okinawa Branch stated, “We would like to apologize for the trouble. We would like to supervise all outsourcing companies stricter to prevent this kind of incident from occurring again.”