KANAGAWA (TR) – Kanagawa Prefectural Police earlier this year apprehended a 43-year-old man, who is suspected in dozens of thefts at laundromats, following a car chase in Yokohama, reports TBS News (May 8).
At around 4:00 a.m. on April 5, Akihito Kato allegedly used a crowbar to break open a change machine at a laundromat in Seya Ward and steal 18,000 yen in cash.
Kato, who has been accused of theft, admits to the allegations. “Since last year, I have used my vehicle to repeatedly commit thefts in order to cover living expenses,” the suspect was quoted by police.
After the incident, officers from the Seya Police Station saw Kato enter his vehicle and flee the scene. Following a pursuit by police, the suspect’s vehicle later collided with a medium-sized truck at an intersection in the Megurocho area of the same ward.
After bounding off the suspect’s vehicle, the truck hit the patrol car. Neither of the two officers inside the vehicle, aged 32 and 38, were injured in the collision. The driver of the truck suffered a minor head injury, according to the Sankei Shimbun (Mar. 6).
Police later found the crowbar inside the vehicle of Kato.
Kato is suspected of breaking into change machines at laundromats in 66 incidents that have taken place since September of last year, police said.
