20 years and going strong: Seasoned burglar arrested in Kawasaki after stealing Y15.7 million

Police said they have linked Kido to over 300 cases

I am curious how they have established this link. Likely they just need a way to close many of these cases, and their suspect is a good candidiate to allow them to do so. I am sure they will get a good confession out of him.

Is anyone else reading this article wondering why there is 15.7 million yen cash in a safe?? That's about $157,000 US. Sounds to me like this was theft of dirty money, or a theft from someone with no concept of investment.

Nothing totally abnormal about it, especially for older retired folks who don't trust banks, and if they don't trust banks, why on earth would they put it into investments.

I am curious how they have established this link. Likely they just need a way to close many of these cases, and their >suspect is a good candidiate to allow them to do so. I am sure they will get a good confession out of him.

Probably his Modus operandi and area of operation. Though stories like this are rarely followed up, and folks always find a reason to bash the police, justly or unjustly.

" Is anyone else reading this article wondering why there is 15.7 million yen cash in a safe??"

Ever heard of bank failures? When the "bank holiday" comes, the cash in hand or readily available is what you have. Think Cyprus for a recent example.

I seriously doubt 300, that would mean he would have to burglarize a home every 24 days for 20 years,

Basically one a month. Easily doable, and probably about the pace he'd need to maintain to survive. Not everybody keeps 15 million yen in their house.

highly unlikely seeing he has 50 million yen saved up.

The article doesn't say that he had 50 million "saved up". It says that he probably took in 50 million all told over the twenty years. Most of that has been spent. We do not know from this article how much money the police recovered.

It is possible that police have actually been collecting fingerprints in burglary cases. If the culprit has never been caught them they would not have his fingerprints on file. Now that they have him they can easily go back and look at past cases.

Good job collecting evidence.

I don't understand Japanese criminals at all. Why do they confess and WHY do they confess EVERYTHING they have EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER done? Instead of getting charged with one crime, now he can be charged with 20 years worth of crimes.

Arrested after 20 years on the run. Will he be able to wash his hands off?

Was just a matter of time...home security is cheap these days

shiloNOV. 10, 2013 - 10:21PM JST It is possible that police have actually been collecting fingerprints in burglary cases. If the culprit has never been caught them they would not have his fingerprints on file. Now that they have him they can easily go back and look at past cases.

Good job collecting evidence.

This is exactly it. Japanese police manage to collect forensic evidence at almost all break and enters. Largely this seems to be as a result of ineptitude by Japans criminals who haven't learned how to not leave such evidence, unlike criminals in western countries.

Those saying that he is being loaded up with every unsolved case are forgeting that police need sufficient evidence to establish prima facie before they can charge someone with an offence.

Wow... It was like going to work everyday for him. His typical morning...

7:00 wake up 8:00 leave for the next location to hit up 3:00 come back home from a hard days work 3:30 count his goods / put them in his safe 4:00 go to seven eleven for a cup of fresh brewed coffee 9:00 go to bed

sounds like he was saving up for retirement... but he will get his retirement direct from the government. No need to worry anymore. He will now have a nice room, three meals a day, free medical, a lot of privacy and new friends.

Police said they have linked Kido to over 300 cases and that his operations had been particularly focused within Kanagawa Prefecture. His take is estimated at around 50 million yen.

Police love this guy, just dump every "burglary" onto him and close the books on hundreds. I seriously doubt 300, that would mean he would have to burglarize a home every 24 days for 20 years, highly unlikely seeing he has 50 million yen saved up.

20 years of unsolved B & E cases...?! Now cops dump all pendings on this one felon to close their books. Can't wrap my head around why this guy would admit to all the others...!?! Do the crime - pay the time, is one thing but - scrape all of it on this guy...?? Cops here needed a scape-goat, and that's how it ends...evidence or not.

Is anyone else reading this article wondering why there is 15.7 million yen cash in a safe?? That's about $157,000 US.

Sounds to me like this was theft of dirty money, or a theft from someone with no concept of investment.