PlayStation 4 has saved us from boredom countless times, but we’d never counted on the system saving a high school student’s life. In Japan, a young girl was abducted for a month after meeting with her 44-year-old pen pal – but he didn’t count on his crafty quarry using his console to call emergency services.
NHK News reports that the child travelled from Saitama to Tokyo to meet with the man who she’d met on social media websites. However, once they arrived at the kidnapper’s home in Yokohama, he confiscated her phone and confined her by tying her to a pipe. Her parent’s immediately reported their daughter as missing, but she was unable to be traced.
It wasn’t until a month later that police received an email from the girl revealing her location. She used the communication functions of her abductor’s PS4 to exchange e-mails with authorities while he was not at home. The police were then able to investigate the case further and locate the apartment that held her in captivity.
Fortunately, according to the Saitama police, she was not injured when they infiltrated the abductor’s home in order to rescue her. Perhaps PlayStation should consider resurrecting an old slogan, because it’s clear in this instance that the PS4 really does do everything.
[source www3.nhk.or.jp, via asahi.com, headtopics.com, news.tvbs.com.tw]
Comments 16
Does this mean that video games save lives?
Well that’s insane. The only time I get messages on PS4 is from scammers or sore losers. I wouldn’t even think of using my PS4 for that sorta thing but that’s the power of multimedia!
Wow, i have never knew feature like that.
Hmm how did she initially meet the man? I am wondering if it was also through PlayStation interaction.
Glad she escaped--these are disgusting little abominations who I no longer consider human for their predatory behavior.
Who the hell does that kind of crap to a little girl? Ugh.
I'm glad she's safe and sound but like why would you meet up with a random 44 year old man you met online? And meet at his house?
She should've messaged the Phantom Thieves.
Who the hell abduct someone and leaves them unattended with a device that has an internet connection???
Good for her, of course, but that is very very stupid - and I'm currently at season 8 of Criminal Minds, so that makes me an expert about stupid criminals!
@Severian Through social media.
@PegasusActual93 Teenagers go through interesting phases. Especially if mental health is involved. Not saying that’s her, but people can be rather interesting with the thoughts that go through her head.
So she used that painful browser to send an email ?? But I'm really curious to know more details about why did she meet him?? was she aware that's he is a 44 old man before meeting him? or she was baited into meeting him. So many questions
Come on, guys, we don't need to victim blame. There's obviously more to this story, but I think we can all agree that the student didn't deserve to be tied up in this guy's house whatever happened!
There is a social phenomenon in Japan called enjo kosai where young girls date older men in in exchange for gifts. A lot of the time these relationships are non - sexual with the benefit to the older male being able to be seen with a younger girl (this does work the other way round too). I'm not sure if the above story falls into this category and it's just as possible the man was assuming a false identity and tricked her.
Also, not to nitpick but Yokohama is not in Tokyo though they are contiguous.
That was scary, I'm really glad the girl is safe.
I'm playing Judgment right now and this sounds perfectly like one of its insane secondary missions...
@andreoni79 I love how we're all so used to the Yakuza games by now that missions like The Twisted Trio just become the norm.
Yokohama is one of Japan's large cities, but it isn't in Tokyo.
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