Tokyo¡¯s Metropolitan Police Department arrested a 39-year-old man in connection with a??15 million burglary that took place in the city of Tachikawa in western Tokyo in December.
Four men intruded on the?dwelling of a man in his 20s on Dec. 4 between around 9:10 p.m. and 9:20 p.m. and took some ?10.25 million ($64,000) in cash, as well as valuables, such as a wallet and a bag, worth roughly ?5 million.
Police had already arrested six men, including those who actually committed the robbery and a driver who drove them. Investigators believe ³Ù´Ç°ì³Ü°ù²â¨± ¡ª?quasi-gangster groups that thrive on anonymity and a lack of structure?¡ª are?behind the scheme and have been searching for the?masterminds.
Makoto Senoo admitted to the allegations of being involved in the home invasion and robbery, telling investigators that he recruited the offenders and gave instructions. He also told police that he had debts of more than ?50 million and applied for yami baito ¡ª shady part-time jobs posted online ¡ª to pay them back.
Investigators said Senoo used a secure messaging app to receive information, such as the layout of the man¡¯s place of residence, from a third person and also to contact the other suspects and instruct them to purchase crowbars and hammers to be used in the break-in. He also checked the location beforehand.
Senoo was arrested by different police a day after the incident, in connection with another case of theft. His connections to the Tachikawa case emerged during an analysis of his smartphone.
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