TOKYO (TR) – A 30-year-old man in custody over the alleged rape of a girl in Itabashi Ward has been re-arrested in second case, police said, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Apr. 16).
At around 8:45 p.m. on March 23, Hideyuki Toyoshima, of no known occupation, allegedly ambushed a woman, aged in her 20s, as she commuted home to her residence inside an apartment building.
After taking her into some shrubbery at knifepoint, he said, “Hand over the money. You have a wallet, don’t you?” He is then alleged to have sexually assaulted her.
Upon his arrest on suspicion of coerced intercourse and attempted robbery, Toyoshima partially denied the allegations. “My purpose was not robbery,” he told police.
The first case took place in the same ward on March 19. The victim was aged in her teens. At around 11:00 p.m., he grabbed her from behind as she commuted home on a road.
With a knife drawn, he covered her mouth. He then took her to a nearby park where he is alleged to have sexually assaulted her. Upon his arrest later that month, he admitted to the allegations, police said previously.
According to police, Toyoshima became a person of interest in the first case after an examination of security camera footage.
In the second case, the victim contacted police after seeing Toyoshima’s photograph following his first arrest. “Since I was really scared, I can now live with peace of mind,” she said.
