A group of three men broke into the Louis Vuitton Shinsaibashi store in Osaka early Thursday morning, making off with bags and watches totaling around 9 million yen, police said.
The men broke in through the front window of the shop at around 5:30 a.m., setting off the alarm and notifying the security company, who called police. There was no one else in the store at the time.
An eyewitness also spotted the men breaking the front window, and called police. The thieves were able to make off with 35 luxury brand items before police arrived.
According to the witness' description, the men were all wearing dark clothing and white masks. They carried pole-like objects and escaped in a light-colored vehicle.
The Shinsaibashi Louis Vuitton store faces the main Midosuji thoroughfare in an area with a number of luxury shops and department stores.
© News reports
31 Comments
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zangyou
On the bright side, the thieves are now able to get girlfriends.
LostinNagoya
Not sure it was worth the risk for mere 9 million, I mean, if you are trading LV goods. Fakes are much easier to sell, people are not afraid of wearing fake anymore and they will buy fake if they can't afford (or think the original is not worth the price). I wonder who is buying luxury brands these days in Japan.
HesKun
interesting fact: 94% of all women in Tokyo own a LV bag.
Raymasaki
i dont see how they are gonna sell the stuff im sure they contacted every Jewerly place in the whole prefucture & through JPTV, Newspapers everyone will be aware of it. its too bad I hope they catch them.
bobbafett
because you have never been there between 2 and 4am.
DentShop
Dont worry - they havent run out of bogan boutique...
marushka
bobbafett:I know perfectly this boutique, have been there many times, but have never seen cops checking gaijiin card Sarge: not agreed, even hard earned money can be spend on luxury products. In fact, why shall I work hard if I can not spend any money?
Sarge
"they ( Louis Vuitton ) are theives who rob the peoples hard earned money"
They do not rob anyone. People willingly fork over their money for their products ( can you believe that? ). And I'd be willing to bet most of that money is not hard earned. Hard earned money is usually spent much more wisely.
bobbafett
Thats right on Midosuji. Osaka centrals most dominant vein. Outside that store there are usually taxis lined up from Umeda to Namba. There is usually a few salary men puking or passed out on the side walk and cops checking gaijin cards around that time. Looks like the recession is hitting the real economy hard. There were none of the above, just burglars.
Disillusioned
Cool! I'll be checking Yahoo Auctions Jp for some specials. My wife's birthday is next month.
Jkanda
marushka,true. And then how can I blame the store if the Jladies are so gullible enough to buy those LVs. Yeah,the craze for the bag is so great that some of them do not think that the dress should be as expensive as the bag. By the way, 'woman for a moment' is funny :)
Moderator: Back on topic please. And readers, there is nothing funny about a robbery.
goddog
Bet they were fake.
marushka
womanforoment:For me, it is just funny. I mean: robberies in luxury boutiques are harmless, they are well insured against all risks.
Jkanda
Yes, in a way I am happy this happened to LV. Yes, they are thieves who rob the peoples hard earned money in broad day light. Will this make them shut down their stores for good? Was it Tiffany that got robbed couple of weeks ago? Of course, i like Tiffany and LV stuff too but no way I am going to pawn, and porn to get that stuff. Oops this is a sensitive subject for me.
marushka
Tiffany, LV … their taste is very similar to mine in fashion. Why I was not there? lol
combinibento
Close enough. It sure as heck ain't nighttime!
True, and a good point. However that's comparing apples to oranges. However, here in Japan, crimes have dramatically increased. A quick google search reveals that between 1998 and 2002, robbery increased 104%, car theft 75%, and burglary 42%. The cops are totally overwhelmed and incapable of controlling it. This burglary merely 3 weeks after a crew walked away from a Ginza jeweler with millions in watches! And to this day no one knows when it happened. My point is: Get the cops up to speed in this country and they earn the public's respect and will then deter crime. When you see the bar's bouncer is a massively muscular brute, you're less likely to provoke a fight.
Badge213
05:30 is broad daylight in Osaka??
Also your argument doesn't work, cops in Los Angeles look in Shape, doesn't prevent criminals from robbing banks in the middle of the afternoon does it?
therightstuff
who cares
ratpack
Sure this isn't the inflated price knowing the insurance will cover the loss??? come on guys....you can tell us....how much they did they really make off with???
Junnama
Is 9 million the inflated price they charge you to shop at a LV boutique or the price you could get the goods at over in Seoul or Hong Kong?
bogva
Now is the time to get one of those pirated "brand" LV goods. If you are lucky it well may be original!
dracpoo2
I can't believe this. The Louis Vuitton stores are among the few stores here with security guards in uniform patrolling, making curious 'not-shopping yet' people shudder.....Oh well.
shufu
inside job.
Louis Vuitton in Osaka has not only a window, but metal railings pulled down at night too. In order to prevent evil foreigners breaking in and stealing lots of bags etc.
GMONEY7
smithinjapan, Chinese don't steal LV bags, they copy them and smuggle them in.
smithinjapan
I'm surprised the eye witness didn't say, "Chinese-looking men".
Anyway, bold robbery. The goods will never be found since every woman and her dolled up poodle has the same one.
Wakarimasen
5.30 am isn't broad daylight, it is just before dawn. And 9 million yen seems hardly worth the effort.
DentShop
These guys are my new heroes by the way. LV has been robbing morons for a long time - time things turned around. I think LV would be loving the publicity right now however.
combinibento
Until cops start looking more in-shape, intimidating and get overall more effective than they ever have been, these brash crimes in broad daylight will continue to occur. 90% of the cops I see are at least in their mid-40's and do not look like they could take down an unruly drunk, much less a group of determined burglars.
thepro
Wow, that's a bold robbery
nisegaijin
haha, funny... i think yahoo auctions will be flooded with LV goods now. Good score!
Altria
Wow, these guys must desperate to impress some girl.