NAGASAKI (TR) — An 63-year-old man has admitted to setting a vacant house on fire in a desperate bid to cover his tracks after carrying out a string of burglaries targeting grieving families, reports TV Asahi (May 4).
Appearing in court, Hironobu Yamazaki did not contest charges of arson and repeated burglary.
According to the prosecution, Yamazaki utilized a calculated method to find his targets: scouring the obituary sections of local newspapers.
By tracking funeral and memorial service schedules, he determined exactly when residents would be away from their homes. He then broke into the empty residences to steal food and other goods.
The crime spree escalated dramatically on the night of January 15 in Nagasaki City. Hoping to destroy any evidence he may have left behind during a previous break-in, Yamazaki set fire to a vacant home. The fierce blaze completely gutted the structure, sparking temporary panic in the surrounding neighborhood as flames shot into the night sky.
In their opening statement, prosecutors detailed Yamazaki’s financial ruin as the catalyst for his crimes.
“Despite receiving a pension and welfare benefits, the defendant would immediately withdraw the full amount upon deposit and spend it recklessly,” the prosecution stated. “Finding himself destitute and unable to afford basic living expenses, he resorted to theft.”
During the hearing, presiding judge Kazunari Matsumura asked Yamazaki if there were any mistakes in the indictment.
“There are none,” Yamazaki replied.
His defense team has indicated they will not fight the charges.
