TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 55-year-old man for allegedly molesting a girl after he abducted her in Ota Ward last month, reports the Sankei Shimbun (June 19).
On May 17, Yoshio Kobayashi, of no known occupation, allegedly abducted the girl from a road in the Omori-Kita area to his residence where he fondled her lower body. The girl suffered injuries to her lower abdominal area that required slightly less than 3 weeks to heal, according to police.
During voluntary questioning, Kobayashi, who has been accused of abduction for the purpose of molestation and indecent assault resulting in injury, admitted to the allegations. However, he denied the charges after his arrest. “Since I was drunk, I do not recall,” the suspect was quoted by police.
Prior to the incident, Kobayashi called out to the girl on the road, asking her if she wanted a snack. The parents of the victim contacted police after noticing that their daughter was injured upon her return home.
Kobayashi became a person of interest for police after the girl told investigators that the perpetrator was riding a bicycle.
Police are now investigating whether the suspect was behind the abduction of another girl in the same area in March.