MIYAGI (TR) – Miyagi Prefectural Police have arrested a bus driver in Sendai City who robbed a convenience store just before beginning a work shift, reports NHK (Dec. 28).
At around 2:45 a.m. on Thursday, Kentaro Tanaka, a driver for the Sendai City Transportation Bureau, held a knife up a to a male employee of an outlet of Family Mart in Taihaku Ward. “Hand over the money,” he reportedly threatened.
After taking 115,000 yen in cash from ma register, Tanaka fled the scene by car.
The employee was not hurt in the incident, police said.
Several security cameras captured footage of Tanaka fleeing in the vehicle, which police later spotted in a parking lot in Wakabayashi Ward. Upon his arrest, the suspect admitted to the allegations. “I did it to repay debts,” the suspect was quoted.
About three hours after the robbery, Tanaka appeared at work to begin an eight-hour shift. His apprehension took place at some point after the shift ended at 2:00 p.m.
“To the citizens and users [of the transportation system], I would like to apologize for the loss in credibility,” the head of the bureau was quoted. “After confirming the facts of the case, I want to deal with the matter strictly.”
