Boy steals from high school chemistry lab to make explosives

HOKKAIDO, Japan — A 17-year-old schoolboy in Hidaka, Hokkaido, has been arrested for stealing explosive materials from his school, police said Tuesday.

According to police, between February and April, the boy regularly stole flammable material, such as potassium nitrate, from the school’s chemistry store by picking the locks on both the door and the storage shelves, TBS reported.

The school’s headmaster described the incident as “regrettable,” but emphasized that the door to the chemistry cupboard had been locked for the entire three-month period.

During police questioning, the reportedly boy confessed to the thefts and told officers he had been taking the stolen articles to the woods to blow them up.

Police are continuing to investigate the case and are currently questioning four other students whom they believe acted as accomplices.  (japantoday.com)