TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 49-year-old Chinese national for allegedly stealing money from a male office worker after accosting him in Taito Ward, reports TV Asahi (Apr. 23).
On March 10 at 3:15 a.m., the Chinese national, who is employed part-time as a hostess, and Kei Iwai, a 31-year-old resident of Kawaguchi City, Saitama Prefecture, allegedly withdrew 200,000 then from a convenience store ATM in the Ueno district with a card taken from the victim, a 58-year-old male office worker.
The Chinese suspect has declined to comment on the allegations while Iwai denies the charges, according to the Ueno Police Station.
In carrying out the alleged crime, the Chinese national accosted the victim, who was drunk at the time, on a street and took him to the convenience store. Iwai stood watch outside as the transaction took place.
According to police, similar crimes, largely perpetrated by Chinese thieves, have taken place repeatedly in Ueno, with the amount of money lost totaling 30 million yen since January of last year.
