TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 26-year-old public high school teacher after he allegedly broke into a residence with two of his own male students, reports TBS News (Sep. 16).
Ryosuke Kimura, a teacher at a Tokyo metropolitan high school, is accused of acting as a criminal mentor to the youths, advising them on what to steal and how to fence the stolen goods.
According to police, at around 8:00 p.m. on February 2, Kimura and the two teenage students broke into the Tokyo home of a man in his 70s. The trio reportedly slipped in through an unlocked window, believing the residence was empty. However, after spotting freshly bought vegetables inside, they realized someone was home and fled the scene empty-handed.
Investigators revealed that Kimura had been actively instructing the students on burglary tactics. He allegedly told the youths, “Buddhist altar bells are made of pure gold and sell for a high price, so you should look for those.” He also taught them how to sell stolen items using flea market smartphone apps.
The teacher’s involvement surfaced during an investigation into a string of burglaries that occurred in the same neighborhood between January and February. After police zeroed in on the high school students, their testimonies implicated Kimura.
During questioning on suspicion of trespassing and attempted theft, Kimura partially denied the allegations. “I entered a garage-like structure where farm equipment was kept, but I have no memory of entering the residence through the window,” he told investigators.
Attempting to explain his presence at the scene, Kimura added, “I had heard beforehand that the students were breaking into abandoned houses and stealing things. I went along out of curiosity, like a test of courage.”
Police are continuing their investigation to determine if the teacher and his students are responsible for other unsolved burglaries in the area.
