TOKYO - An 86-year-old man was arrested for attempting to burglarize an apartment shortly after his release from prison, admitting he had spent 200,000 yen on horse racing the same day he was freed.
According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, Minoru Murata, an unemployed resident, allegedly broke into an apartment in Tokyo's Ota Ward in April with the intent to steal money and valuables. Murata had just completed his prison sentence earlier that month.
When confronted by the apartment's resident, Murata reportedly pleaded, saying, "I just got out of prison, I have bad legs, and I can't find work," and was initially let go without incident.
Following a report filed after the encounter, police launched an investigation and identified Murata as a suspect linked to a string of burglaries occurring across Tokyo. Officers discovered him through a "facial recognition patrol," a method in which suspects are located based on remembered facial features.
Murata has admitted to the allegations, telling investigators, "I did it to steal." He also confessed to spending 200,000 yen on horse racing the same day he was released, adding that he began committing theft the following day.
Source: FNN
