TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 26-year-old metropolitan high school teacher for allegedly breaking into a residence with two of his students on the island of Izu Oshima, reports TV Asahi (Sep. 16).
Ryosuke Kimura is accused of entering a home through an unlocked window with the two teenagers. Once inside, the trio reportedly used their smartphone flashlights to search the property for valuables.
Rather than stopping his students, Kimura allegedly offered them criminal advice.
“Buddhist altar bells are made of pure gold and sell for a high price, so you should look for them,” the teacher reportedly told the teens, adding, “Let me get some money, too.”
Police allege Kimura knew the students had been committing burglaries prior to the incident. According to Kimura, the students had invited him to come along.
“They thought of me as a friend,” Kimura said. “They probably figured I wouldn’t say anything if they told me.”
However, statements from the students paint the picture of a highly willing participant. On the day of the crime, one student recalled finding Kimura already waiting in the back seat of their getaway vehicle.
“When I went to get in the car, I was surprised the teacher was there,” the student told police. “When I invited him to do a burglary, he didn’t seem reluctant at all and was enthusiastic.”
The break-in was ultimately thwarted when the trio heard noises indicating the resident was home. They fled the scene empty-handed. The two students were subsequently arrested in connection with a separate theft.
During police questioning, Kimura partially denied the allegations, offering a bizarre justification for his presence at the crime scene.
“I went along feeling like it was a test of courage,” the teacher claimed. “I went into a garage-like area, but I have no memory of entering the room through the window.”
