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Saitama cops: Man, 73, used metal pole to rob convenience store of cash, beer

Police arrested an elderly man after he allegedly used a metal stick to rob a Family Mart convenience store in Saitama City
Police arrested an elderly man after he allegedly used a metal stick to rob a Family Mart convenience store in Saitama City (Nippon News Network)

SAITAMA (TR) – Saitama Prefectural Police have arrested an elderly man in the robbery of cash and beer from a convenience store in Saitama City, reports TBS News (Apr. 2).

At 10:45 p.m. on Saturday, Ryo Kawashima, 73, entered an outlet of Family Mart, located in Kita Ward, and thrust a metal pole before a 21-year-old male cashier. “Give me the money,” he threatened.

Kawashima then fled the store with about 28,000 yen from a register and six items, including a can of beer.

The cashier was not hurt in the incident.

According to Nippon News Network (Apr. 2), Kawashima wore a hat and scarf in carrying out the crime. Police later apprehended him on a road about one kilometer from the store.

“I didn’t have money, and my belly was getting smaller, so I turned to robbery,” Kawashima later told police after his arrest.