Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 52-year-old man who is suspected of swindling more than 100 restaurants by making false claims about cleanliness, reports the Asahi Shimbun (Feb. 19).

On May 19, 2019, Taro Takeuchi, of no known occupation, told the manager of a restaurant in Tokyo’s Koto Ward that his “pants became dirty due to the dirty table.” He added, “If I buy the same item again, it’ll cost between 10,000 and 20,000 yen.”

Takeuchi is alleged to have later defrauded the restaurant out of 30,000 yen in cash.

Upon his arrest on suspicion of fraud, Takeuchi admitted to the allegations. “I did it to cover living expenses,” the suspect was quoted by the Fukagawa Police Station.

According to police, he is believed to have carried out the ruse in the Kyushu, Chubu and Kantor regions. “Since July, 2018, I have done this more than 100 times nationwide,” Takeuchi added.

Police apprehended Takeuchi after an examination of security camera footage in the Koto restaurant showed the suspect pulling chocolate out of his pocket and smearing it on the table and his pants.