Osaka Prefectural Police make their first arrest for installing a GPS jammer without a license, possibly involved in car theft

According to an interview with the Osaka Prefectural Police on the 1st, a 46-year-old man was charged with violating the Radio Law for installing a ``GPS jammer,'' a device that can interfere with global positioning system (GPS) tracking of location information, in a car without a license. The man is said to have been involved in more than 10 car thefts, and is believed to have used the vehicle to evade pursuit. This is the first time in the nation that an illegal vehicle theft case has been detected.

GPS jammers are used to block radio waves at movie theaters and concert venues, and installation and use require a license from the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications. The 3rd Investigation Division is investigating the circumstances surrounding its acquisition.

According to the division, the man is company employee Yasufuku Nishida (46) and has no fixed residence. On October 26, last year, he was brought to the prosecutor's office for allegedly putting a GPS jammer into operation inside a car in a parking lot in Nishinari Ward, Osaka City, and was subsequently indicted.