SAITAMA (TR) – Police in Saitama City have arrested a 39-year-old man on suspicion of breaking into a residence and stealing cash, an incident that may be linked to a broader string of local burglaries, reports TBS News (Apr. 30).
However, in the case that led to his apprehension, Yuki Matsumoto, a construction worker, pocketed the equivalent of a lunch at a fast-food restaurant.
Between late on April 15 and early the following morning, Matsumoto, allegedly infiltrated a home in the Haramachi area of Iwatsuki Ward.
According to police, Matsumoto used a tool to break the lock on a first-floor bathroom window to gain entry while the resident, a man in his 80s, was asleep. Once inside, the suspect allegedly made off with a single car key and a meager 700 yen in cash.
Upon his arrest, Matsumoto denied the allegations, telling investigators, “I have no recollection of this.”
The arrest may lead to a breakthrough in a wider local crime wave. Authorities are currently investigating Matsumoto’s potential involvement in approximately 20 similar break-ins that have recently plagued the surrounding area.
