OSAKA, Sep 11 (News On Japan) - Five unemployed men have been arrested and charged with repeatedly stealing golf clubs from parked cars. The total losses are estimated at approximately 57 million yen.
Yasunobu Otaki and 4 others were arrested and charged for stealing golf clubs from a car parked at an apartment complex in Osaka City last October. Otaki referred to himself as a "golf club thief" and specifically targeted clubs with valuable headcovers, selling them to resale shops.
According to the police, the group is suspected of committing 286 thefts across seven prefectures, including Osaka, over a span of four months starting in August last year. The estimated value of the stolen goods totals around 57 million yen.
During questioning, all five suspects admitted to the charges, with Otaki reportedly stating that he committed the thefts "to raise money to celebrate a friend’s release from prison."
Source: YOMIURI