Eight Cambodian Nationals Referred for Prosecution Over Copper Cable Thefts Totaling More Than ¥60 Million in Niigata
This article organizes publicly available information into a single account. Where it describes an arrest or an ongoing investigation, that reflects only one stage of criminal procedure and does not mean guilt has been established (the presumption of innocence applies). We will update this article as new information becomes available, including the outcome of prosecution, non-prosecution, or trial. This article is not intended to unfairly disparage any individual, group, nationality, ethnicity, or belief, and aims to provide objective, fact-based information.
Niigata Prefectural Police announced by August 2026 that they had referred eight Cambodian nationals to prosecutors on theft charges. According to the Niigata Nippo, the eight are believed to have connected through social media and to have repeatedly stolen copper cables from solar power facilities and other sites across Niigata Prefecture with the intent to resell them. The charges include allegedly stealing roughly 1,450 kilograms of copper cable, worth an estimated 2.16 million yen, from a solar facility in Tainai City.
The investigation has so far found total damages exceeding 60 million yen. Members of what police believe to be the same group have also been re-arrested over copper cable theft from a solar facility in Shibata City, and police have pursued the case as an organized operation, investigating additional offenses.
Current status: Whether the eight have admitted to the allegations, the resale network for the stolen cable, and whether the case will be indicted remain unclear as of this writing. This article will be updated as further details emerge.
Editorial Perspective
No decision on indictment has been made at this stage, so this article reflects information from the investigative phase. An arrest is only one step in criminal procedure and does not establish guilt (the presumption of innocence). According to National Police Agency and Ministry of Justice statistics, the number of Penal Code cases involving foreign nationals visiting Japan has risen for two consecutive years since 2023, but remains below its mid-2000s peak (related article). A single case does not necessarily reflect the broader statistical trend; further developments are worth watching.