The Grandpa Gang’
This story could easily be the plot of a successful Hollywood thriller, where three men meet in prison and later team up to carry out robberies. A similar situation has occurred in Japan and is gaining international attention. The surprising element is that all three men are over the age of 70. Consequently, this elderly trio in Japan is being referred to as the “grandpa gang.” According to a report by The South China Morning Post, a trio of elderly men with a combined age of 227 have become the unlikely face of crime in Japan. Dubbed the “G3S” by police—a playful take on the Japanese word for “grandpas”—the group is suspected of carrying out a series of burglaries on the northern island of Hokkaido. Hideo Umino, 88, Hidemi Matsuda, 70, and Kenichi Watanabe, 69, allegedly formed their criminal enterprise while serving time in prison. Upon their release, the trio is accused of turning their attention to the world outside, targeting unoccupied homes for their illicit activities.
In May, the group allegedly broke into an empty house in Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido. Despite their audacious attempt, their haul was modest: $1.30 in cash and three bottles of whisky valued at a total of $65. Undeterred, the trio is suspected of striking again the following month, this time making off with 24 pieces of jewelry worth a staggering one million yen $6,400 from another vacant residence in the same area. As news of the elderly gang’s alleged crimes spread, they quickly became a viral sensation, capturing the public’s imagination with their unusual profile.
Investigators say that the eldest gang member, Umino, was in charge of the stealing, Matsuda was the getaway driver and the youngest, Watanabe, was responsible for dealing with the stolen property. Their alleged crimes were discovered after the owner of the second house became suspicious and alerted the police. Investigators tracked down the gang after checking surveillance video footage and discovering that some of the woman’s missing property had been re-sold. Reports said that the trio of elderly men needed the physical support of police officers while being arrested. They allegedly said they carried out the crimes to “make a living”. Police said they were also investigating if the gang was involved in 10 other burglaries in Sapporo and the neighboring city of Ebetsu.
News of their arrest sparked a fevered discussion on social media. “The code name ‘G3S’ might not be appropriate but sounds very cool,” said another. Like many places, Japan is grappling with a rapidly ageing population. According to Japanese police, the crime rate among the country’s elderly has been rising in recent years. The proportion of crimes committed by people aged over 65 increased from 2.1 per cent in 1989 to 22 per cent in 2019. Police have also reported a higher rate of petty theft among that age group.
Senior Sillies
My grandpa started walking five miles a day when he was 60…
Now he’s 97 years old and we have no idea where he is.
Never let your kids stay with the grandparents for too long
Someone asked my 6 year old what’s his age?
He said: With God’s will, I will be 7 in November.
Remember that postcard Grandpa sent us from Florida of that Alligator biting that woman’s
bottom? That’s right, we all thought it was hilarious. But today, it turns out we were wrong. That alligator was sexually harassing that woman.
Scientists say you’re more likely to die of what your grandparents died of rather than your parents.
If anyone sees any German snipers let me know.
July 26th Birthdays
1964 – Sandra Bullock, 1956 – Dorothy Hamill, 1906 – Gracie Allen, 1946 – Helen Mirren
1943 – Mick Jagger, 1959 – Kevin Spacey, 1894 – Aldus Huxley, 1928 – Stanley Kubrick