Society

Man nabbed for burglary at pub with shorter hours

May 16 (NHK) - 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.

Source: ANNnewsCH

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