Tokyo cops nab man suspected in 100 purse-snatching cases

Dec 10, 2017 | News On Japan

Dec 10, 2017 (tokyoreporter.com) - Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 33-year-old man suspected in 100 purse-snatching incidents over the past few moths in the northern part of the capital, reports the Sankei Shimbun

At 2:05 p.m. on November 23, Jo Suhara, of no known occupation, used a scooter to come up from behind a woman, 55, as she walked on a road in the Sakuradai area of Nerima Ward and grab her bag containing 65,000 yen in cash.

When asked about the allegations, Suhara said he wishes to speak with a lawyer.

According to police, Suhara is believed to have committed similar crimes on at least 100 occasions in and around Nerima and Itabashi wards since August with the value of lost property totaling around 5.8 million yen (2.3 million yen in cash and valuables worth 3.5 million yen).

In order to evade detection, the suspect wore a helmet during the crimes and covered the license plate of the scooter with tape.

On Saturday, Suhara is suspected in the theft of a bag from a woman in Toshima Ward. After the incident, he took refuge at a residence in Itabashi. The suspect was apprehended after an officer on patrol noticed the scooter parked outside.

Source: ANNnewsCH

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