SAITAMA (TR) – Saitama Prefectural Police have arrested three men suspected of being behind a massive string of auto thefts across the Kanto region, reports Nippon News Network (Sep. 4).
According to police, Kenta Sugano and two accomplices are accused of stealing a vehicle intended for sale from a used car dealership in the town of Ina, Saitama in February.
Following that theft, the trio allegedly targeted a monthly parking lot in neighboring Ageo City, making off with another passenger car that contained a golf bag and other items.
Investigators believe the suspects bypassed the vehicles’ locks and security systems using specialized tools and electronic devices. The total damage in the two February incidents is estimated at approximately 4 million yen.
Police have declined to reveal whether the three suspects have admitted to the charges.
However, investigators believe these incidents are just the tip of the iceberg. Authorities are currently probing the trio’s connection to dozens of similar high-tech car thefts carried out across Saitama, Chiba and Ibaraki prefectures.
