Suspect Confessed to Selling PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch Consoles, and Games to Second-Hand Shops for Personal Profit
It’s not a surprise to hear there has been a stock shortage of gaming consoles and games. Particularly of the consoles, and especially that of the PlayStation 5. While there had been due to the pandemic and is likely to continue through to 2022, and possibly into 2023, there are some people who have taken advantage of this. But how this event occurred is sadly disappointing.
And it was confirmed that in Tokyo, Japan, that police arrested a man that had sold over two hundred consoles and games in the Akihabara area, the major gaming district in Tokyo, directly to second-hand game shops. The worst part of it all is this man had been entrusted to deliver these items at the request of an acquaintance of his from a delivery company. How deep this relationship goes is not clear at this time, but clearly, there was some trust, or desperation, to deliver these items.
According to Sankei News, the suspect, aged 50 and unemployed (as Japanese tend to report the employment status of criminal cases) sold not only Nintendo Switches but also the evasive PlayStation 5. Police estimate that the value of the items was 5.8 million yen ($51,000 USD) but the man was only able to make 3 million yen ($26,000 USD) in profit. After disposing of his assets, he apparently lived in various internet cafes in Tokyo. It’s possible to do this because there are private booths possible for sleeping, free sodas, and showers for those who pay.
While the suspect has confessed to his crime, it will be difficult to get all the money back. He confessed in the article that “I bet nearly all the money on horse racing.” And selling the consoles and games (which game titles are not listed) means it will be difficult to get back the stolen items to their original owners, if at all.
This arrest might have happened back in October, and the news of this embezzlement was only released on November 26th, 2021, but it’s a reminder for the gamer consumer to stay vigilant. If something seems too good to be true, whether it’s a game or a console, it could be bad news. We all need to remember this, especially in the wake of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. No one wants to give the gift of something stolen to their loved ones either, or for themselves.