KOCHI (TR) – Kochi Prefectural Police have arrested 37-year-old twin brothers for allegedly stealing 123 copper plates from the roof of a local shrine, leaving its underlying waterproof tarp completely exposed, reports Fuji News Network (Oct. 8).
Takatoshi Okamoto and his younger twin brother, Shinya, are accused of stripping the copper plating from a warehouse roof at Jinga Shrine in Kami City during the early hours of September 30. The targeted building is used to store the shrine’s mikoshi (portable shrines).
The copper is valued at approximately 280,000 yen, police said.
Located near the summit of a secluded mountain about a 30-minute drive from the nearest residential area, the shrine serves as a vital community hub. The brazen theft has left local residents reeling.
“It is extremely regrettable, and I feel immense anger,” said Masamichi Kajiwara, head of the local Inono district. “This shrine is the spiritual anchor for everyone in our community.”
The arrest of the siblings may crack a larger string of similar crimes. According to police, approximately 10 shrines across the prefecture have reported identical thefts of copper roof plates since September. Investigators are currently questioning the twins to determine their involvement in the related incidents.
