Man Arrested For Stalking Woman Over Phone

May 27, 2008 12:57 p.m. EST

Tokyo, Japan (AHN) - Japanese authorities apprehended a plumber who allegedly called a toll-free number a few hundred times in order to hear the a particular woman's recorded voice.

The suspect, 38-year old Hiroyuki Nomoto, was arrested Monday for calling a food company about 500 times, in the process tying up the line for 3,000 hours. The man was supposedly engrossed in listening to the voice of the woman, albeit recorded, on the other line.

Authorities explained that the plumber continuously called the toll-free, 24-hour number because "he wanted to hear a woman's voice," as reported by the UPI.

The man was apprehended and was to be charged with obstructing the company's business.

According to the AFP, similar incidents have occurred in the past, as a 37-year old man had called directory assistance lines about 2,600 times last year.

The man, who was arrested in January, had reportedly obtained from female phone operators the nickname the "don't-hang-up-man."