Man nabbed for burglary at pub with shorter hours

NHK -- May 16

Tokyo police have arrested a man on suspicion of stealing money from a pub whose operating hours have been cut short to help curb the spread of the new coronavirus.

Police say 49-year-old Chiba Kazuteru broke into the pub and stole roughly 600 dollars sometime from late at night on April 13 to the early morning of April 14.

The pub used to be open until midnight, but it now closes at 8 p.m.

Investigators quote the suspect as saying that he had been laid off and was cash-strapped.

The National Police Agency says that between late March and Monday, 79 cases of burglary took place at businesses that are temporarily shut down or operating for shorter hours.

The targets were mostly restaurants and bars, but they also included supermarkets and beauty salons.

Police are stepping up patrols of commercial districts and shopping streets, and urging business managers not to leave cash and valuables unattended.

May 16 (ANNnewsCH) - コロナウイルスの影響で営業時間を短縮していた東京・港区の飲食店に侵入し、現金約6万5000円を盗んだとして無職の49歳の男が逮捕されました。  千葉和輝容疑者は先月13日から14日にかけて港区芝の飲食店に侵入し、現金約6万5000円を盗んだ疑いが持たれています。警視庁によりますと、千葉容疑者はコロナウイルスの影響で営業時間を短縮していた店に侵入し、レジをこじ開けて現金を盗んだということです。取り調べに対して「仕事がクビになり、生活費に困ってやった」と容疑を認めています。警察庁によりますと、営業を自粛などしている店舗の窃盗被害は3月下旬以降、全国で79件確認されています。