TOKYO (TR) – To be filed under: work-crime balance.
Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a member of a criminal syndicate who is suspected in dozens of thefts of power tools in the Kanto region, reports Nippon News Network (Dec. 4).
Last month, Masaru Kurihara, a 39-year-old member of the Yamaguchi-gumi, allegedly stole six power tools, including a rotating saw, at two construction sites in Machida City.
Until recently, Kurihara was also a carpenter. “I couldn’t balance my gang activities with my work,” the suspect told the Arakawa Police Station. “So I quit my job when I ran into money problems. Since October, I’ve done this about 20 times.”
According to police, Kurihara sold the equipment at used-goods stores.
Since September, there have been around 40 such thefts in Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture. Police are investigating whether Kurihara was involved in those cases.