Vending machines in Japan destroyed in area popular with tourists
The Kanagawa Prefectural Police are investigating a case of theft following the vandalism and robbery of three vending machines at Kamakura Seaside Park.
The incident in Yuigahama, Kamakura City, occurred on the morning of April 13th and has sparked concern among local residents.
According to the prefectural police, the discovery of the damaged vending machines was made at approximately 5:00 AM on Sunday, April 13th, by a man taking an early morning walk through the park.
They promptly reported the discovery to a nearby police station.
Upon arriving at the scene, officers found that three vending machines had been forcibly damaged.
The cash boxes within the machines were found empty, indicating that a theft had taken place.
The Kamakura City Green Park Division, the department responsible for the seaside park, provided further details regarding the incident.
According to the Park Division, an employee of the City Park Association, the park manager, first became aware of the damage on the morning of April 13th when they arrived to conduct a routine patrol of the park and found that the Kanagawa Prefectural Police had already cordoned off the area with tape.
As the incident occurred on a Sunday, the Kamakura City Green Park Division received official notification from the City Park Association on the morning of Monday, April 14th.
The Kamakura City Green Park Division stated:
“The cash slot was broken, so we don’t know what tool was used. We don’t know how much was stolen either. We’ve never heard of this before, and so far this is the only case of damage to a park in the city. We haven’t had any reports of sightings yet.”
Preliminary investigations suggest that the vandalism and theft occurred sometime around dawn on the 13th.
The Kanagawa Prefectural Police are operating under the assumption that whoever was responsible intentionally damaged the vending machines to steal the cash contained within.
The extent of the damage to the vending machines was significant, with their cash slots visibly pried open, likely with a crowbar or similar tool.
The damage left the machines in a state of disrepair, with broken components scattered on the ground beneath them. Notably, a fourth vending machine selling ice cream remained untouched.
It has been confirmed that the park is not equipped with security cameras.
The lack of security cameras at the park has been highlighted as a potential contributing factor to the crime.
Images of the vandalized vending machines were circulated on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on April 15th, 2025, drawing widespread attention and concern.
Online reactions ranged from shock and disbelief to expressions of concern about the perceived deterioration of public safety, with some going as far as directly blaming foreign nationals, targeting both immigrants and tourists alike:
The vandalized vending machines were located within the park’s playground equipment zone, a popular area for families and children. The fact that a crime had taken place in such an area also drew particular criticism:
The three damaged machines were owned by various beverage distributors and were installed by the City Park Association.
The Kanagawa Prefectural Police are continuing their investigation into the theft and vandalism.
They are urging anyone with information about the incident to come forward.
Source: J-Cast News