OSAKA (TR) – Earlier this week, Osaka Prefectural Police released a number of illustrations that show how a 30-year-old male fugitive could have altered his appearance since he escaped from custody earlier this month.
Investigative sources have now revealed that Junya Hida, 30, who bolted from the Tondabayashi Police Station after a meeting with a lawyer on the night of August 12, may be disguising himself as a woman, reports Fuji News Network (Aug. 22).
According to the sources, Hida dressed as a woman, including the wearing of women’s clothing and make-up, in meeting with a female acquaintance in the past. Additionally, his left ear has been pierced in four locations for earrings. His right ear has one piercing.
The fugitive, with a medium build, stands about 163 centimeters tall. He has dark hair. At the time of his escape, he was wearing a black (top) and gray (bottom) jogging suit, police said previously.
On Sunday, police released eight illustrated portraits that show Hida as he may look in disguise, including the wearing of glasses, a cap and breathing mask. Police also issued a drawing of the tattoo of a rabbit on his left calf.
Pedaled north
In making his escape from the police station, Hida destroyed the acrylic plate that served as a partition between him and the lawyer he was meeting with at some point after their discussion ended at around 8:00 p.m. He is believed to have scaled a wall before stealing a red bicycle, which he pedaled north.
Over the course of several nights, police received reports of a number of bag-snatching incidents that took place in Habikino City and Osaka City’s Hirano and Higashisumiyoshi wards. In all of the cases, the perpetrator approached the victims while riding a minibike.
A minibike was reported stolen in Matsubara City early on August 13. Given that Hida has been accused of theft in the past, police suspect that he stole the minibike and committed the crimes.
Since May 25, Hida has been accused of four crimes. In July, police arrested him for theft and the rape of a woman, aged in her 20s, in her residence in Osaka Prefecture.
About 3,000 officers are searching for Hida.
