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Police investigating the murder of a 90-year-old woman at her house in Komae, Tokyo, last week, said that information on mobile phones confiscated from suspects in two robberies in Tokyo's Nakano Ward, and Chiba Prefecture, listed the Komae house as a target for a "job."
Kinuyo Oshio was found dead by police and members of her family in the basement of the three-story house at around 5:20 p.m. last Thursday, Kyodo News reported. Her wrists were tied together with a zip band and she had been beaten about the head and had suffered a broken kneecap.
Oshio lived with her son, his wife and their two adult children. All four of them had left the house at around 8 a.m. to go to work, leaving Oshio at home alone. Police said the first and second floors and basement of the house had been ransacked.
Police believe Oshio's murder may have been carried out by the same gang that has been responsible for at least 10 house robberies and jewelry store thefts in several prefectures in the Kanto region, as well as Hiroshima and Yamaguchi prefectures since November.
Police said street surveillance camera footage showed several people in the vicinity of Oshio's house during the day of the murder. Two rental cars were observed parked near the house on the two days before the murder. Furthermore, unidentified fingerprints and footprints were found in the basement of the house.
Earlier on Thursday afternoon, police in Chofu, Tokyo, received a call from Chiba police, saying that a message on the smartphone of a man arrested on Jan 12 for a robbery in Oamishirasato, Chiba Prefecture, indicated that Oshio's house was being targeted for a job. The smartphone belonged to a Self-Defense Force member in his 20s from Mie Prefecture.
NHK reported Sunday that gang members are believed to have been recruited on an Instagram site. The mobile phone of Rikuto Nagata, 21, who was arrested for a Nakano house robbery in which six men stole 30 million yen, also listed several addresses in Adachi Ward, including one residence which was robbed.
Another message contained the words “Komae City” with a comment, “I will contact you once there is an opening.”
Police said they are questioning Nagato, who is from Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, to try and find out the name of the ringleader who has been recruiting gang members online. He was quoted by police as saying the members of the gang did not know each other before the robbery.
Besides Nagato, one other suspect in the Nakano case has been arrested ― a man in his 30s. Another man has been arrested on suspicion of robbing a jewelry store in Tokyo's Shibuya district. He also told police he was recruited online and given instructions on what to do.
Police said the escalating series of robberies are becoming more violent. At first, elderly victims in their homes were bound but in the most recent cases, victims have been beaten with hammers and other blunt objects to force them to hand over cash and items of value.
© Japan Today/Kyodo
24 Comments
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Strangerland
Or, it might possibly decrease.
Or it might possibly stay the same.
David Michael Lockard
This type of criminal activity possibly will increase. Law enforcement should be advised and prepare.
3RENSHO
There were 2 more arrests this morning...good job, Police!
Hercolobus
Please find the leader and accomplices and put all of them behind bars.
JeffLee
Residents not keeping millions of yen of cash in their home might help reduce the problem.
Alan Harrison
The death penalty never went anywhere.
Some crimes (such as thus crime) is so disgusting, that the perpetrators have forfeited their right to live.
Alan Harrison
BRING BACK THE DEATH PENALTY, problem solved Guaranteed.
Japan already has the death penalty, and I agree with many commentators, if found guilty, execute them.
TokyoLiving
Send that gang to the gallows !!..
CaptDingleheimer
I've never heard of a Japanese house with a basement before.
smithinjapan
If people can find these sites online and apps like Instagram, why on earth can't the police?! Instagram isn't exactly the dark web or anything, they should be able to have people doing searches for this kind of thing constantly, looking into any groups they find, and protecting people and property from what the groups intend to carry out. And they can't find the ringleader? Just offer the people caught two choices: maximum penalty for every single crime they engaged in, including murder, or give the guy up and face lesser crimes. That might be a bit taxing for the keystones here, though.
kaimycahl
Just as I posted " Jan. 21 12:04 am JST Posted in: 90-year-old woman beaten to death at home See in context
Senseless crime! Gangs prey on the weak, as pointed out in article the Chiba police received a call from saying that a message on the smartphone of a man arrested for another robbery indicated that Oshio's house was being targeted. Once family members left the gang committed the crime. I hope the police is looking into the phone records of that arrested individual much deeper because he has to be involved some how. Perhaps those were the orders from the gang as they planned their home invasion activities.
NHK reported Sunday that gang members are believed to have been recruited on an Instagram site. The mobile phone of Rikuto Nagata, 21, who was arrested for a Nakano house robbery in which six men stole 30 million yen, also listed several addresses in Adachi Ward, including one residence which was robbed.
Another message contained the words “Komae City” with a comment, “I will contact you once there is an opening.”
Police said they are questioning Nagato, who is from Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, to try and find out the name of the ringleader who has been recruiting gang members online. He was quoted by police as saying the members of the gang did not know each other before the robbery.
Besides Nagato, one other suspect in the Nakano case has been arrested ― a man in his 30s. Another man has been arrested on suspicion of robbing a jewelry store in Tokyo's Shibuya district. He also told police he was recruited online and given instructions on what to do.
wallace
The death penalty never went anywhere.
tamanegi
Absolutely heinous and callous. Some truly awful crimes being committed recently.
virusrex
The police needs to make this gang a huge priority, they are taking advantage of the most vulnerable and doing it almost in the open by recruiting people on social media as if it was risk free. If this is not stopped a others will take it as an example and the crimes will increase.
Mark
BRING BACK THE DEATH PENALTY, problem solved Guaranteed.
Lindsay
The cops seem to have a lot of information and leads but very few arrests.
Daninthepan
Burglary and now murder have joined the gig economy now - Uber-burglers.
elephant200
Why the Japanese police so lazy? They should monitoring the online activities that internet is not a safe haven for criminal activities. Thieves can be recruits like emplo
These thieves were strange, they can trust each other to carry out serious criminal activities but they actually were strangers.
Blacklabel
Public flogging followed by a very slow hanging.
Zizi
Scum. I wish nothing but death on them.
Fighto!
Only the worst animals in society would do this.
All perpetrators should be hung - hopefully starting with the Self-Defense Force member. What a joyous day that would be.
Rest in Peace to the poor innocent lady.