TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested five suspects in the break-in of an apartment in Tachikawa City last year and theft of approximately 10 million yen in cash, reports Nippon News Network (Mar. 12).
On the night of December 4, Kazuma Matsumoto, 30, and four others allegedly broke into the apartment, occupied by a man in his 20s, and stole 10.25 million yen in cash and 11 wallets and bags valued at approximately 5 million yen.
Police did not disclose whether the five suspects admit to the crimes.
In gaining access, the five men are believed to have climbed onto a second-floor balcony and smashed a window with a crowbar. They fled the scene in a car.
Their involvement has emerged after an examination of security camera footage and other means.
Police believe the crime may have been committed by a (tokuryu) operation, which is an anonymous criminal group whose members communicate via smartphone apps.
Matsumoto acted as a recruiter, using social media to gather perpetrators and drivers. He communicated with them using the anonymous messaging app Signal.
