Press "Enter" to skip to content

Tokyo cops: Man came from Hokkaido to commit purse-snatching crimes

Ken Hirabaru
Ken Hirabaru

TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a man from Hokkaido who admits to having committed a string of purse-snatching thefts, reports Fuji News Network (April 5).

In October, Ken Hirabaru, 37, used a motorbike to approach a woman riding a bicycle on a road in Komae City and steal her bag, which contained 9,000 yen in cash.

The suspect came to Tokyo in September of last year. Police believe that he was involved in more than 30 similar incidents in which he collected approximately 1.3 million yen over a one-month period.

Hirabaru, who has been charged with robbery, admits to the allegations, telling police that he came to the capital specifically to commit purse-snatching crimes. “My target was around 200,000 yen every five days,” the suspect is quoted by police.

According to TV Asahi (April 5), Hirabaru became a person of interest after the viewing of security camera footage taken near a crime scene. He was arrested in Hokkaido last week.