TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 30-year-old man who admits to carrying out bag thefts to cover gambling losses, reports TBS News (Aug. 31).
In June, Ryuichi Kamimura, a clerk at a medical office, approached a woman, 68, from behind on a stairwell of an apartment building in Shinagawa Ward and allegedly stole a wallet containing 39,000 yen in cash from one of her pockets.
Kamimura, who has been accused of theft, admits to the allegations, telling police that he had accumulated debts by playing pachinko. “I aimed at elderly persons as it is too much of a bother for them to chase me,” the suspect was quoted. “I tried to target those who appear frail.”
Kamimura surfaced as a person of interest for police in the case after an examination of security camera footage.
Kamimura is suspected in three other bag-snatching incidents that took place in Shinagawa and Ota wards since April in which the value of lost property totals around 200,000 yen.
