OKAYAMA (TR) – Okayama Prefectural Police last week announced the arrest of a suspect believed to be behind a series of diaper thefts in Kurashiki City. The suspect was apprehended following an attempted theft that left two men with minor injuries, reports Yomiuri Shimbun (May 5).
On April 20 at approximately 1:30 p.m., Nobuyuki Makioka, 62, is alleged to have used a kitchen knife to slash at the husband (30) and father (59) of a 31-year-old female employee at a trading firm while attempting to steal paper diapers from a warehouse.
During the struggle, the suspect, who had entered the premises by breaking a padlock, threatened to kill the two men. He then fled the scene, leaving the victims with elbow and hand injuries.
Makioka, who has been charged with inflicting injuring during burglary, has reportedly admitted to the allegations.
On two occasions earlier last month, the same warehouse had been robbed of approximately 200 diaper packs valued at 450,000 yen. The victims had been standing guard at the facility everyday since April 8.