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Tokyo: Man, 48, admits to multiple bag thefts

TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 48-year-old man who has admitted to being behind multiple purse-snatching incidents, reports TBS News (June 19).

At just past 10:30 a.m. on May 17, Junichi Takizawa, of no known occupation, used a stolen bicycle to come up from behind a 72-year-old woman as she commuted home from shopping in the Horifune area of Kita Ward. He then allegedly snatched her tote bag containing about 80,000 yen in cash.

“I did it because I wanted to cover living expenses,” the suspect was quoted by police.

Junichi Takizawa
Junichi Takizawa (Twitter)

Takizawa surfaced as a person of interest after an examination of security camera footage, police said.

During questioning, Takizawa said that he committed the same crime on three other occasions. Police are now investigating whether the suspect was behind several reported cases that took place beginning last month.