TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police are hunting for two men who stole luxury watches worth 200 million yen from a store in Nakano Ward in a brazen daytime heist that lasted a mere 10 seconds.
In the latest development, police have revealed that the thieves fled the scene with the aid of a scooter, reports Nippon News Network (Aug. 28).
The incident occurred on Tuesday at the popular Nakano Broadway commercial complex in Nakano Ward. According to police, the duo entered the shop, immediately smashed a glass showcase near the entrance, and snatched four high-end timepieces before fleeing the scene.
The stolen watches are of extraordinary value, with the most expensive piece priced at approximately 70 million yen and the cheapest at around 30 million yen.
Premeditated getaway strategy
Investigative sources have revealed a highly premeditated getaway strategy. About 10 minutes before the robbery, one of the suspects rented an electric kick scooter from a local sharing service near Nakano Station and parked it right outside the store’s nearest exit.
“They came out, one jumped on the electric kick scooter parked right there, and the other took off running,” an eyewitness reported.
The suspects initially split up, with one fleeing north on the scooter and the other sprinting south on foot. However, security camera footage captured individuals closely resembling the suspects reuniting about 10 minutes later near a promenade approximately 350 meters from the crime scene.
“Open storefronts”
At the promenade, police recovered the abandoned scooter and discarded clothing. Investigators believe the men rendezvoused to change their outfits and alter their appearance before heading back toward Nakano Station, as seen on nearby surveillance footage.
The sheer scale of the theft has surprised local merchants. Go Koike, owner of a different watch shop inside Nakano Broadway, noted that watches of such extreme value are typically reserved for upscale districts like Ginza. “High-end items are difficult to display in this area because Nakano Broadway’s signature style features open storefronts,” he explained.
Extensive planning
Tatsuyuki Narumi, former head of the Kanagawa Prefectural Police’s First Investigation Division, pointed to the suspects’ extensive planning.
“They closely observed the flow of people during that time of day and carefully calculated their escape routes and methods,” Narumi said. “It is precisely because of this meticulous preparation that they were bold enough to execute the crime in broad daylight.”
Both suspects are described as being in their 20s and approximately 170 centimeters tall. Police are continuing to analyze security footage as the manhunt continues.
