Kimagure Cook (きまぐれクック), the popular Japanese YouTuber known for videos of him preparing and cooking seafood, has revealed that his studio was broken into by burglars, with stolen fishing equipment and cameras totaling more than 5 million yen (roughly $35,000).
The YouTuber, who runs the channel under the name Kaneko, shared the news on X on July 19, 2026, posting a photo of his shop’s front door, which had been forced open with what appeared to be a crowbar, leaving the metal frame dented and twisted.
In a follow-up post, Kaneko confirmed he was unharmed, writing, “I wasn’t injured.” He then detailed the extent of the theft: “The damage is fishing gear and cameras, totaling around 5 million yen.” A photo attached to the post showed an emptied, ransacked fishing tackle shelf.
According to Kaneko, the burglars appeared to have deliberately targeted his security setup before entering. “The security camera was disabled by black spray sprayed from a blind spot, then they got in with a crowbar,” he wrote, adding, “It was clearly the work of someone completely used to this.”
Kaneko said the incident would affect his output going forward, explaining that his filming environment and security measures need to be strengthened, which will temporarily reduce how often he uploads new videos. He also noted that his property was equipped with a security system from SECOM, one of Japan’s major security service providers, but said, “Even with SECOM, it seems those who are determined to do it will do it anyway.”
Who is Kimagure Cook?
Kimagure Cook is one of Japan’s best-known food and fishing YouTube channels, run by a creator who goes by Kaneko. The channel is famous for videos in which Kaneko catches, prepares, and cooks a wide variety of seafood, often focusing on large or unusual fish, and has built a large following both in Japan and internationally for its detailed knife work and cooking techniques.
