Face it he deserves a medal, not prison time. Hurrah for Matsuno-san!


Peko-chan thief gets 1 1/2 yrs for 'vicious crime'
Yomiuri Shimbun
The Maebashi Summary Court in Gunma Prefecture on Tuesday handed down an 18-month sentence to a 42-year-old man for stealing two Peko-chan figures--the well-known character of confectionery maker Fujiya Co.
According to the court ruling, Kojiro Matsuno, unemployed of no fixed address, stole two automated Peko-chans from outside Fujiya shops in Ogomachi and Omamamachi in Gunma Prefecture.
Presiding Judge Seiya Sano said Matsuno had stolen the figurines to sell, and that the crime was vicious.
Prosecutors said in their closing argument that Mastuno had stolen 30 to 40 Peko-chan figurines around the Kanto area and had sold them to acquaintances for 20,000 yen to 30,000 yen apiece.