crime

2 Chinese men held over Tokyo jewelry store robbery

18 Comments

Police in Tokyo said Monday they have arrested two Chinese men on suspicion of robbing a jewelry store in the Ueno area on April 4.

According to police, the two men, both aged 45, entered the store at around 12:30 p.m. and pretended to be customers interested in purchasing jewelry. Fuji TV quoted police as saying that one of the men acted as a lookout while the other asked to be shown several diamond rings. Police said that as the store employee was bending down bringing rings from the showcase, the Chinese man took a ring valued at 4.9 million yen. He then told the employee he'd be back later and left with his companion.

However, the employee noticed a ring was missing and sounded the alarm.

Police said the store's surveillance camera footage showed the same two men in the store on April 2.

Police suspect the pair may be a part of a gang of Chinese thieves believed to have been responsible for about 30 robberies in jewelry and brand-name goods stores in Tokyo in the past five years.

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18 Comments
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It seems these two Chinese criminals are part of organized Chinese thieves and gangsters that have penetrated Japan over the years. In Iran, they would chop his hands off. Japan need to have strong law in dealing with these criminals including prison term and severe fine to send a clear message to all copy-caters.

3 ( +8 / -5 )

If there is no physical violence or intimidation involved, this crime will be considered theft (rather than robbery) in Japan. The two men "pretended to be customers", do you really think they will pretend to be thieves or robbers? Good they were apprehended.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

@Crazy joe .... you wrong dude... crime was committed during the interaction between the crooks and employee.... its a robbery..I own a jewelry store and I have experienced both.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

"It seems these two Chinese criminals are part of organized Chinese thieves and gangsters that have penetrated Japan over the years"

I saw on a website discussing such issues a while back ago, about the Chinese criminal activity in Jimbocho Kanda, the Chinese use their restuarants and massage businesses to establish a foothold in Japan, and as a cover to run many shady operations, and infiltrating their target areas, according to that website.

The Japanese police need to check out those restuarants and massage businesses in Jimbocho Kanda, to ensure the safety of the Japanese people!

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Stop removing any speculation on whether the thieves were actually Chinese.

Give it a rest. They were Chinese.

http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/videonews/nnn?a=20140428-00000024-nnn-soci

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Jewelry stores should have at least two workers observing customers at all times to be on the safe side nowadays. Clever thieves can still cause distractions and the hand can be quicker tan the eye.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Triads?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

One of the men has admitted to the charges and one of them has denied the charges.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

It matters that these suspects are Chinese, because these arrested suspects are Chinese. There is no more to it than that.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Ueno specially tuned to be part of China ... everywhere Chinese

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Fingerprint? mugshot? confession of the criminal? Databases of immigration and other offices? Maybe they have identity in their wallet? Driver's license? ATM or credit card? Surveillance evidence can be stopped, video can be enlarged to watch individual.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The same gang probably responsible for many in flight stealing incidents from unsuspected passengers. We flew with one of the South-East Asian airline a few months ago to the US via HK. One of the passenger raised the alarm as he lost some USD and personal items. The cabin crews caught two Chinese guys red handed searching through passenger overhead luggage for cash & jewelries. They were handed over to the HK polices at the airport for questioning when we landed . Better keep your eyes on your personal stuffs during night flight over SE Asia roots for these gangsters, they are professional thief..

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Yes, it matters if they are Chinese because it 1.) dictates who and what local gangland elements, if any, are perpetrating these crimes; 2.) their resident standing with the host national government (Japan, if you couldn't figure); and 3.) how to prosecute said perpetrator.

I know "semperfi" is trying to make this a race issue. It's not. The Japanese don't care, they'll deport an American as fast as a Brit as fast as a Korean as fast as a Chinese gangster if it saves them the bill of having to prosecute and jail.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Didn't you just ask what would happen if Japan allowed more foreigners into the country to offset the population decline?

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

I fail to see why their nationality is relevant to the headline. It's just another blatant prejudice against the Chinese. If they were Japanese would that be included in the headline? Of course not! What if they were gay? Would that be included? Then, you read all the posts in this thread going on about triads and Chinese organised crimes gangs operating in Ueno. The Chinese account for nearly a third of the world's population. By the statements in this thread they are all gangsters! Grow up people!

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

and it matters that they are 'Chinese" ? really.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

The fact of nationality really says more about the xenophobic nature of Japan than the crime.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Japan is slipping to a third world country. It's not was it was. Get used to it

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

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