You've got to hand it to the Japanese for being polite. The Ohashi Collection Kan museum in Takayama, wanted to show off a prized possession, but they also wanted to let the visitors have an interactive role with it. So, they rolled out a 100 kg (225 lb.) Block of gold and put it on display. Unguarded by sensors. Or a case. They wanted visitors to be able to touch it.

Touch it, they did. Someone scoffed it. In broad daylight, Sunday, three masked dudes absconded with the bullion and were driven away by a fourth accomplice.

Shinji Kurake, a local police officer, said, "We were very shocked... but of course this was a big block of gold, and there was no security. I suppose they could have been a little more careful." A little more careful seems to be an understatement. Maybe Kurake just didn't want to say outright that the museum acted more than a bit naively here. In fact, they were fools.

The museum purchased the gold bar in 1994 for US$1.6 million, according to its website. In today's gold prices, the block would be worth about US$2.1 million. Not wishing to alarm anyone, the museum was closed for an "emergency holiday" on Monday. Officials could not be reached for comment.

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March 20th 2007 @ 14:20

Posted By: youranter - Category: No Category

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1. March 20th 2007 @ 22:29. xsquid Says:

Wow! I would think it would take some doing to take a big heavy block of gold off the island..but I'd still have guards around it.

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2. March 21st 2007 @ 09:22. youranter Says:

Me too, xsquid, but guards were the last thing they were thinking of apparently. Hey, is a squid a submariner? Just curious.

3. March 21st 2007 @ 14:06. Don Lee Says:

Well, that sure taught me a lesson. Next time I have 2.1 million in gold, I won't leave it around to be "interacted with" unguarded! LOL

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4. March 22nd 2007 @ 19:36. youranter Says:

It's a real pisser, Don. My flight got delayed in Bora Bora and I missed grabbing it by a 1/2 hr.

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5. March 23rd 2007 @ 00:59. D. Armenta Says:

Sorry, ranter! That was me..I use "xsquid" on another site. A "squid" is any member or veteran of the Navy. A "bubblehead" is a submariner.

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6. March 23rd 2007 @ 01:01. D. Armenta Says:

Say, ranter--is calling a Canadian a "hoser" an insult? I never construed it as such, but a guy just told me on my manners blog that it was. He's not from Canada though..

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7. March 23rd 2007 @ 07:59. youranter Says:

Hi D. Thanks for clearing up the 'squid' thing for me. Somewhere I got the idea they were submariners. As for 'hoser', yeah, I suppose it is an insult, but not a particularily bad one. It all depends how it's said. If your ticked at someone, it would be more harsh and closer to a real insult. But since 'Strange Brew' came out, it is taken as more of a light insult that isn't going to result in fisticuffs. In 'Strange Brew' the brothers are constantly calling each other a 'hoser', but it's done in the same way you'd call someone a nitwit or moron if they did something obviously wrong that had no serious outcome.

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