Key Facts
• June 20, 2025: Shizuoka Police concluded investigation, charging six suspects.
• Suspects include a 40-year-old Thai national with no fixed address.
• Crimes occurred from December 2023 to October 2024.
• 78 theft cases confirmed across 10 prefectures, including Shizuoka, Ibaraki, and Chiba.
• Total damages estimated at approximately $1.1 million.
• Copper wires were cut from solar power plants and sold to scrap metal dealers.
• Internet used to locate targets; some sites were scouted beforehand.
Summary
Shizuoka Police have charged six men, including a Thai national, for stealing copper wires from solar power plants across 10 prefectures between December 2023 and October 2024. The group is accused of committing 78 thefts, causing damages of approximately $1.1 million. Using the internet to identify targets, they scouted some locations before cutting and selling the wires to scrap metal dealers. The investigation has now concluded.
