SAITAMA (TR) – Saitama Prefectural Police have made a series of arrests of foreign members of a burglary ring that are believed to be responsible for more than 100 incidents across the prefecture, reports Nippon News Network (Nov. 20).
In August, Pham Hongo Linh, a 32-year-old Vietnamese national, and three other men are suspected of breaking into a vacant house in Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture by smashing the window.
They are suspected of stealing a total of 15,000 yen worth of items, including a wristwatch.
Police had already arrested seven men and women of Vietnamese nationality over involvement in incidents in Saitama Prefecture.
The 11 suspects are believed to be members of three crime groups. Since October, Saitama Prefecture has experienced over 100 thefts, with total losses exceeding 20 million yen, police said.
“I heard a bang”
“It’s scary,” a neighbor to a victimized home tells TBS News (Nov. 20). “You never know whether they might be carrying [a murder weapon].”
According to police, many of the cars used in the crimes had expired vehicle inspections and fake license plates. These measures are believed to have been implemented to avoid detection.
The three crime groups swapped cars and used them interchangeably. It has also been confirmed that members of the groups frequented the same associated businesses.
In Kumagaya City, a female resident who suffered a break-in tells the network, “I went upstairs and went to bed around 10 p.m. I was in a light sleep when I heard a bang, but I had no idea what it was.”
Another neighbor also reported that tens of thousands of yen was stolen from their wallet. “They used a crowbar or something to pick the lock on the inside and get in,” he said. “When I woke up in the morning, all of my drawers were open.”
Police seized tools that are believed to have been used in the crimes, as well as several precious metals such as rings and necklaces, from the homes of the 11 suspects.
Police have not revealed whether the 11 suspects have admitted to the crimes. The investigation is ongoing, including into the possibility that they are part of a major Southeast Asian crime group.
