TOKYO (TR) – From the early to mid-Heisei period (1989-2019), the so-called “Korean Armed Pickpocket Gangs” repeatedly committed thefts in Japan.
What supported their crimes was a tight organization and iron-clad unity. Their downfall came about through the collaborative efforts of law enforcement divisions in Japan and Korea, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Dec. 31).
The thefts were carried out by members of each gang, collectively referred to as “Sik” (family). They were led by a leader called the “Sajan” (president), who came to Japan for each crime. They committed crimes using a “hit-and-run” method, whereby they would steal the target amount and then immediately return to avoid detection.
The members were connected by local ties. As of 2007, the pickpocket gang was divided into the “Seoul Group” and the “Busan Group.” The Seoul Group was the largest, with about 40 members. Meanwhile, the Busan Group had about a dozen members, according to Tokyo Metropolitan Police.
Within these groups, there was also the existence of the “Yadan,” or opposition party, who was tasked with recruiting members, sharing information about police crackdowns with the Sajan and informing on rival groups to the police in an attempt to get them arrested.
The two groups combined for a total of 1,566 thefts in Japan, including the pilfering of wallets and other items. The amount lost totaled a whopping 103 million yen.
Division of labor
The investigation was not easy. One of the reasons for this was the division of labor. The group was divided into kikai (machine), who was the perpetrator, the obfuscater, or makui (curtain), the lookout (in katakana, antenna) and keiri, meaning accountant, who recovered the stolen wallets. As well, they operated in groups of several people.
“It was difficult to capture the moment of [the exact crime being committed] because there are people around,” a person who was involved in the investigation explains. “Even if you grab the hand of the perpetrator, if the wallet is passed to the person who collects it right next to you, you won’t be able to confirm the stolen items.”
The pickpocket gangs pooled some of the money they made and used it to pay for the lawyers’ fees of the arrested members and to support their families. On the other hand, there was also a flip side that included the threat to arrested members: “If you confess, we will harm your family.”
Japanese and Korean police team up
Japanese authorities had a strong sense of crisis. Investigators from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police’s 3rd Investigation Division Pickpocket Team conducted active questioning. They arrested the knife-wielding pickpockets one after another on suspicion of obstruction of justice.
They also attempted to uncover the whole picture of the group. Through persistent interrogation, they arrested the Sajan of the Busan group in 2018.
In addition, the investigation was supported by cooperation between the Japanese and Korean police authorities, which was promoted without going through the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL). This was done in order to save time and effort.
An agreement on the cooperation system for investigations was solidified around 2016. In addition to sharing security camera footage, wanted list information and pickpockets’ travel information, it was also decided that the Korean police would check the movements of suspects for whom arrest warrants had been issued in Japan.
Coupled with the Japan-Korea Extradition Treaty that came into force in 2014, this cooperation bore fruit. In 2019, a man wanted by a joint investigation headquarters consisting of the Osaka Prefectural Police, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police and other organizations was extradited from Korea under the treaty.
From 2019 onwards, crimes committed by pickpocket gangs dropped sharply. Since then, apart from sporadic incidents, there have been no notable crimes.
“We were able to make it clear to them that ‘there is no escape even if they return to Korea,'” said a senior Tokyo Metropolitan Police official.
