TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested two additional suspects for allegedly preparing to rob a gold bullion dealer in Edogawa Ward, reports TBS News (July 14).
Kaito Kunino, a 20-year-old of unknown occupation from Chofu City, and one other man were arrested on suspicion of preparation for robbery.
According to police, the suspects gathered in a vehicle on a street in the Higashi-Koiwa area in May. They were reportedly armed with work gloves and a survival knife, with the intent to carry out a robbery.
The latest arrests bring the total number of suspects in the case to four. Two other men have already been arrested and indicted on the same charges.
Investigators believe the group was targeting a nearby gold bullion dealer who was preparing to transport a shipment of gold at the time.
Security camera footage captured Kunino and an accomplice fleeing the area on a two-seater motorcycle. During a search of the vicinity, police discovered a survival knife and a stun gun stashed behind a potted plant on a nearby street.
Police have not disclosed whether Kunino and the other newly arrested suspect have admitted to the allegations.
Authorities believe the four men were acting as pawns in a larger tokuryu criminal ring, receiving target locations and instructions from a coordinator via an anonymous messaging app. Police are continuing their investigation to uncover the full extent of the syndicate.
