Japan is one of the safest countries of the world, but this didn’t stop a local company called Shimada to develop a security item of a very special kind: An anti-burglar mat. No joke: The company, which usually produces rat traps and repellents [JP], was asked by the Japanese police to do it.

The mat is basically a sheet with an adhesive layer and weighs a whopping 8kg (size: 1mx1.5m). Shimada says the main idea behind the mat is to enhance security in your own home in a discreet way (the thing, which you can see in the picture, looks like a regular entrance mat).

The company also claims that it proved to be effective during a recent test run when a burglar tried to enter a restaurant in the middle of the night. The owners found the mat wrinkled, but all their belongings were left untouched. If that’s not proof of the mat’s effectiveness, I don’t know what is.

At least Shimada admits the mat is only there to scare burglars away, not to really catch them. The mat will become available in Japan only starting this fall.

Via Nikkei [registration required, paid subscription]