IBARAKI (TR) – Ibaraki Prefectural Police have arrested a 31-year-old man on suspicion of stealing metal valves from farms in Kasama City amid a recent string of similar agricultural thefts in the region, reports TV Asahi (Aug. 31).
Kyohei Ozeki is accused of making off with 21 metal valves, valued at approximately 42,000 yen, from rice paddies in the city this past August.
According to police, the investigation was launched after a victim reported the missing equipment. Investigators reviewed local security camera footage and identified a suspicious vehicle linked to the suspect.
Police revealed that the stolen valves had already been sold off to a scrap metal dealer by the time they tracked them down.
Upon his arrest, Ozeki flatly denied the allegations, telling investigators, “I did not commit any theft.”
Ibaraki Prefecture has recently been plagued by a series of similar crimes targeting metal faucets and irrigation equipment in rural areas. Police are continuing their investigation, suspecting Ozeki may be a repeat offender responsible for the regional theft spree.
