SAITAMA (TR) — Saitama Prefectural Police have arrested 4 people for allegedly breaking into two rental video shops and making off with smartphones and online game consoles value practically 3 million yen, stories Fuji News Network (Mar. 31).
The suspects, who had no prior acquaintance with each other, are believed to have fashioned a housebreaking ring utilizing a extremely encrypted messaging app simply earlier than the crimes occurred.
Among these taken into custody is Yuta Miura, 22, who’s unemployed and of no mounted handle.
According to investigators, the string of break-ins unfolded in November 2025. The group first focused a rental video retailer in Tsurugashima City.
Using a crowbar to smash by way of a glass window, they looted the premises, grabbing smartphones valued at roughly 2.43 million yen.
Just three hours later, the crew struck once more at a second rental video store in Isesaki City, Gunma Prefecture —about 50 kilometers away from their first goal. Employing the identical methodology of entry, they swiped online game consoles value roughly 240,000 yen.
Police suspect the stolen merchandise was rapidly fenced off to a chosen “collector” who arrived shortly after the second heist to obtain the products.
During questioning, one of many suspects admitted to the underlying motive behind the operation, telling investigators, “I applied for a high-paying part-time job on SNS”.
Authorities are persevering with to research the shadowy legal community behind the recruitment and are probing the group to find out if they’re answerable for another unsolved crimes.