19-year-old woman arrested over theft of Y13 mil watch on 'papa-katsu' date

Japan Today -- Sep 20

Police in Tokyo have arrested a 19-year-old woman on suspicion of stealing a watch worth about 13 million yen from a 37-year-old company executive with whom she was having a papa katsu date.

Papa katsu dating refers to young women who are paid by older, rich men to go out with them.

Police said the woman, a private university student, had dinner with the man at a restaurant and then went with him to a love hotel in Tokyo’s Minato Ward at around 9 p.m. on July 21, Sankei Shimbun reported. She is alleged to have stolen the man’s watch while he was in the shower and then left the hotel room.

The woman was arrested after going to a pawn shop with a male acquaintance who works at a host club the next day to sell the watch.

Police said at least 10 men have reported the theft of high-end wristwatches by the same woman whom they all met on a dating app. The total value of the stolen watches is estimated at 35 million yen.

Police said the woman has admitted to the thefts.