YAMAGATA (TR) – A male civil servant here allegedly bound his own feet and hands as a part of his staging of a robbery earlier this week, police said, reports TV Asahi (Feb. 20).
On Thursday, Mitsunari Sato, 54, was found huddled with his hands and feet tied on the grounds of an experiential learning facility in the town of Oe.
Sato later told police that two men pointed something like a knife at him after he left his home and stole 800,000 yen in cash.
Sato also claimed that the two men forced him to get behind the wheel of their car and drive. Seven hours later, he was released near the location where he was found, still tied up, he said.
Sato said that he was unacquainted with the two perpetrators. Both aged in their 30s, they stand around 175 centimeters tall. Both were attired in dark clothing and hats and were wearing breathing masks, he told police.
However, police conducted vehicle checks, but were not able to find the two supposed robbers. They later concluded that Sato had fabricated the whole story. He apparently bounds his limbs himself.
Police later arrested him on suspicion of obstructing police operations.
Sato works as a branch chief at a fire station. A representative of the fire department to which he belongs stated in a press conference, “There have been no sign of any change in his work attitude, and he has behaved normally.”
The representative refrained from commenting on whether Sato has debts.
