TOKYO — Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested two men, including a former transport company employee, for allegedly orchestrating a heist of Pokémon cards valued at more than 30 million yen from a delivery vehicle, reports TBS News (May 25).
Kota Kobayashi, 26, and Tatsuki Hosoya, 27, are accused of snatching approximately 300 trading cards valued at approximately 34 million yen from a transport van in the Sotokanda area of Chiyoda Ward — better known as the Akihabara pop-culture district — in December of last year.
Upon questioning, both suspects admitted to the allegations.
According to investigators, Kobayashi was employed by the transport company at the time of the theft. Police believe he abused strictly internal information regarding the vehicle’s collection route to plan the crime.
The duo allegedly targeted the transport van as it made its rounds to collect cards from various shops. When the driver left the vehicle unattended to enter a store, the suspects unlocked the van and made off with the goods.
Police believe the pair have already fenced a portion of their stolen haul, pocketing approximately 5 million yen in cash.
