TOKYO - A man who hid his face from cameras as he was escorted by police at the Tokorozawa Police Station in Saitama was among the suspects arrested on suspicion of theft. Police say he and three others allegedly broke a window and entered a vacant home in Hitachi City in August 2025, where they stole wristwatches and other items valued at about 15,000 yen.
Seven additional Vietnamese nationals, both men and women, were also taken into custody on suspicion of involvement in a series of thefts across Saitama Prefecture, bringing the total number of suspects to 11. Investigators believe the individuals belonged to three separate criminal groups and may be tied to an even larger number of cases.
More than 100 thefts have been reported in Saitama since October, with total damages exceeding 20 million yen. According to police, many of the vehicles used in the crimes had expired inspections and were equipped with fake license plates. The three groups are believed to have exchanged vehicles among themselves, and investigators have confirmed they had overlapped at several related locations.
Authorities have not disclosed the suspects’ statements but suspect the 11 individuals may have been part of a larger Southeast Asian criminal network operating in the region.
Source: FNN
