SAITAMA (TR) – Saitama Prefectural Police have arrested a Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) officer over the alleged robbery of 600,000 yen from a convenience store in Koshigaya City last year, reports TBS News (Jan. 29).
At around 3:15 p.m. on November 19, Yuichi Numamoto, a 46-year-old lieutenant colonel at Camp Asaka in Tokyo’s Nerima Ward, entered an outlet of Seicomart in the Sannomiya area and allegedly held a knife up to a 37-year-old female employee. “Hand over the cash, and don’t make a sound,” he reportedly threatened.
After tying up the employee, the suspect fled the scene with 600,000 yen in cash and six certificates redeemable for cash.
There were no customers inside the store at the time of the incident, and the employee was not hurt.
Numamoto, who has been accused of robbery, denies the allegations.
Police apprehended Numamoto after examining security camera footage taken inside the store.
“If this in fact happened, it is regrettable and not appropriate [behavior] of a GSDF officer,” a representative of Camp Asaka was quoted.
