Japan: Police arrested 51 year old woman for 2,761 emergency calls

Over a period of about two years and nine months...


In Japan police has been arrested a 51-year-old woman for allegedly making 2,761 false emergency calls over a period of about two years and nine months.

 

Hiroko Hatagami, an unemployed resident of the city of Matsudo in Japan's Chiba prefecture, was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of obstructing the operations of a local fire department.

 

She repeatedly made calls from her home and neighborhood about different ''emergency reasons.'' Between August 2020 and May 2023, she repeatedly made calls asking the Matsudo fire department to dispatch ambulances, complaining of stomach ache, drug overdose, and aching legs among other symptoms.

 

However, when the ambulances arrived, she turned them away with responses like, “I don't want to take an ambulance” and “I didn't make the call.” 

 

Both the fire department and police station warned her several times to stop making the nuisance calls, but she continued doing so. On June 20, the emergency services department filed a damage report with the police, which later led to her arrest.

 

After her arrest, the woman told investigators she did it because she was lonely and wanted attention.

 

“I was lonely and wanted someone to listen to me and give me attention,'' she said.

 

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