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Portable Speed Camera Stolen From Roadside in Saitama

Police say the theft could be the nation's first of such equipment and has prompted a criminal probe into device security.

Overview

  • Saitama Prefectural Police reported that a portable Orbis speed-enforcement unit was taken from a sidewalk on National Route 125 while officers were monitoring nearby.
  • The device was discovered missing after a roughly 40-minute interval when officers returned to the site, and the tripod and power cord were left behind.
  • Police said the stolen unit measures about 50×25×50 cm, weighs about 20 kg with its tripod, cost roughly ¥9 million, and was one of five such units the prefecture owns.
  • Authorities told reporters that extracting photos requires the manufacturer's proprietary software and that erasing stored violation images without it is extremely difficult, which limits immediate evidence loss.
  • Investigators opened a theft probe after the incident, which occurred Thursday night, and police said the National Police Agency has no record of a similar case nationwide.