TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police arrested a 24-year-old man over the alleged theft of a woman’s wallet during Halloween festivities near JR Shibuya Station on Saturday, reports TBS News (Oct. 28).
At around 9:30 p.m., Shuichi Kotani, of no known occupation, allegedly snatched a wallet containing about 5,000 yen and a smartphone from a shoulder bag of the woman, 24, on a road in front of the Shibuya 109 building.
At the time, the streets in the area were crowded with thousands of persons in costume for Halloween. “I did it because I was broke and saw a woman who left her bag open,” the suspect was quoted by police in admitting to the allegations.
Last year, police made dozens of arrests over a several-day period around Halloween for such crimes as theft, molestation and property damage.
To prevent crimes, the Shibuya Ward government enacted an ordinance to prohibit the consumption of alcohol on the streets around Halloween. Police have also beefed up the number of officers on patrol in the area.
