KANAGAWA (TR) – Kanagawa Prefectural Police have arrested a 33-year-old Vietnamese national, suspecting him of being the culprit behind a massive string of residential break-ins and thefts across the region, reports TV Asahi (June 29).
Tran Van Duc was arrested for allegedly trespassing into the Yokohama City home of a 90-year-old woman last month. According to police, he gained access to the residence by simply walking through an unlocked front door.
During police questioning, Tran denied the allegations, simply telling investigators, “I don’t know.”
However, investigators believe Tran is responsible for roughly 150 burglaries targeting both occupied homes and vacant houses throughout the prefecture.
According to police, his typical modus operandi was far more calculated: he would routinely use a blowtorch to melt and cut through window glass to reach the locks from the outside.
A search of the suspect’s residence yielded a cache of evidence, including the tools believed to have been used to execute the break-ins, as well as suspected stolen goods such as necklaces and wristwatches.
Police are continuing their investigation into his connection to the estimated 150 unsolved burglaries.
