TOKYO (TR) – In a brazen daytime heist last week, thieves made off with approximately 310 million yen worth of gold and precious metals from a parked vehicle in the Ueno area of Taito Ward while the dealers were having lunch.
The incident is the latest targeting precious metals to strike the area, reports TV Asahi (July 17)
On the afternoon of July 16, a male and female pair of precious metal collectors parked their car in a small coin-operated lot tucked in a quiet alleyway near National Route 4, located between Okachimachi and Akihabara stations. Hidden underneath the rear seat was a large, locked case packed with gold ornaments, rings, and other valuables.
When the pair returned from their meal shortly before 1:00 p.m., they discovered the rear window smashed. The locked case had been forcefully pried open and stripped of its multi-million-yen contents.
“When we got back to the car after finishing lunch, the back window glass was shattered,” one of the victims reported.
Investigative sources revealed that the dealers had just completed a lucrative gold transaction two to three hours before the theft, and were transporting the goods when they were hit.
The Metropolitan Police Department suspects the thieves were acting on a tip-off. The victims’ vehicle was packed with various other luggage, yet the culprits pinpointed the exact case containing the 310 million yen in valuables. No similar smash-and-grab crimes had been reported in the immediate vicinity recently, further fueling suspicions of an information leak.
Hunting grounds
The Ueno and Okachimachi districts have become notorious hunting grounds for criminal syndicates. The area is a major hub for jewelry and precious metal dealers, where massive transactions are frequently conducted using physical goods and hard cash, making merchants prime targets while on the move.
The area has seen a string of high-profile hits, including a brazen smash-and-grab attempt by a trio of robbers at an Ueno jewelry store, and a January street robbery near Okachimachi Station where assailants snatched a case containing 420 million yen in cash.
Police are currently reviewing security footage and investigating how the information regarding the dealers’ transaction may have been leaked to the perpetrators.
