‘I was lonely’: Japan police arrest woman for allegedly making over 2,700 false emergency calls
The headquarters of the Chiba prefectural police, who arrested Hiroko Hatagami on suspicion of obstructing the operations of a local fire department. PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
UPDATED
14 JUL 2023, 3:17 PM SGT
CHIBA - A woman in Japan was arrested on Thursday for allegedly making 2,761 unnecessary emergency calls over a period of about two years and nine months, The Mainichi reported.
The Chiba prefectural police arrested Hiroko Hatagami, an unemployed resident living in Matsudo, a city lying in the east of Tokyo, on suspicion of obstructing the operations of a local fire department.
Hatagami is accused of repeatedly making emergency calls from her home and neighbourhood.
The 51-year-old suspect has reportedly admitted to the allegations, and was quoted telling investigators: “I was lonely and wanted someone to listen to me and give me attention.”
During such emergency calls, she was said to have complained about stomach ache, drug overdose and aching legs, among other symptoms. According to the report, she had requested the Matsudo Fire Department to dispatch ambulances to her home between August 15, 2020, and May 25 this year.
When the ambulances arrived, she reportedly refused to be transported and said: “I don’t want to take an ambulance... I didn’t make the call.”
Despite receiving warnings from the fire department and the police station to stop making unnecessary calls, she continued to do so.
This prompted the authorities to file a damage report with the police on June 20.
In 2013, Japanese police arrested a woman for calling them more than 15,000 times over a six-month period.
Police said they visited the 44-year-old woman’s home about 60 times before slapping handcuffs on her.
A police official said her calls had no meaning, and she could be just be too lonely.
