TOKYO (TR) – Police have arrested a 24-year-old man from Kanagawa Prefecture for allegedly stealing a haul of popular children’s toys from a commercial facility in Koto Ward and reselling them for gambling money.
Between 10:00 a.m. and 10:20 a.m. on March 9, Shu Matsuo allegedly swiped 20 items, valued at approximately 143,000 yen, from a toy store inside the large shopping center.
Upon his arrest, Matsuo admitted to the allegations. “I needed money to play pachinko,” the suspect told investigators. He also revealed his tactics, stating, “I targeted the morning hours when there were fewer customers and clerks.”
According to investigative sources, Matsuo specifically targeted highly sought-after items such as model trains and dolls, which he would then promptly exchange for cash at local second-hand shops.
Tokyo police suspect a massive string of related thefts. Since the beginning of the year, police have confirmed that Matsuo visited recycle shops at least 40 times, offloading a staggering total of over 1,000 toys.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the full extent of his crimes.
