LONDON (TR) – A court here last week said that two British nationals can be extradited over a smash-and-grab robbery at a Harry Winston boutique in Tokyo one decade ago, reports the BBC (May 16).
On May 16, chief magistrate Judge Goldspring rejected the challenges by Kaine Wright, 28, and Joe Chappell, 38, against extradition. The home secretary will now decide whether they will be sent to Japan.
On November 20, 2015, Wright and Chappell and a third man allegedly broke into the high-end Omotesando Hills store, smashed display cases with a crowbar and fled with 46 items — including luxury watches, rings and jewelry.
The value of the stolen items totals around 106 million yen, Tokyo Metropolitan Police said previously.
During the incident, the suspects also assaulted a 47-year-old male security guard who suffered minor injuries. Afterward, the suspects fled the scene and subsequently left Japan, according to police.
In 2017, the suspects were placed on a wanted list with Interpol on suspicion of robbery resulting in injury.
Since Japan and the U.K. do not have a mutual extradition treaty the case would be the first time for Japan to receive a suspect without such a treaty in place.
