Police have arrested two men for stealing electricity in heists worth about 1 yen each, an official said Sunday.
A 38-year-old company employee was caught red-handed in September by a patrolling police officer while using a power outlet intended for the neon sign of a nearby restaurant to recharge his mobile phone, an Osaka Prefectural Police spokesman said on condition of anonymity.
The other culprit, a 22-year-old university student, was giving a street performance in November when he unplugged a vending machine to power his portable stereo. A police officer was alerted after local residents complained about the noise, the spokesman said.
Police said they could not let the incidents slide, although the men are believed to have stolen only about 1 yen worth of electricity.
Both men confessed and have gotten off with reprimands, the spokesman said.