On June 1, 2011, Ueki Hideaki (surname first), 31, was arrested, while Watanabe Yutaka, 41, was placed on a nationwide wanted list in connection with lastmonth's theft of about ¥600 million (Cdn/US $7.3 million), the nation's biggest-ever cashrobbery.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department apprehended Ueki, on suspicion of breaking into asecurity company office in Tachikawa (western Tokyo), on May 12, 2011 and injuring a security guard and stealing the money. His accomplice Watanabe iswanted on the same charges--burglary, inflicting injury and unlawfulentry into a building.
What is known, is that the duo contacted people with links to a crime syndicate (a Yakuza family) by phone before and after the robbery, as it is felt the two suspects were being instructed by gang members who concocted thecrime.
On May 12, Ueki and Watanabe broke into the officeof Nichigetsu Keibi Hosho through a small unlocked window just after 3AM--the lock on the waist-high window had been broken for at least six months.
The two slashed a 36-year-old security guard in the chest while he wassleeping on a sofa, bound his wrists with adhesive tape and made offwith about ¥604 million.
The guard was seriously injured (and may have woken up - sorry, I couldn't resist).
Ueki and Watanabe were spotted on surveillance camerasnear the crime site and were also seen purchasing duct tape at a convenience store in Hachioji, Tokyo, before the robbery. Ueki was arrested at his parents' home in Hino, Tokyo, shortlyafter May 31at 12 AM.
The security firm was keeping a larger amount of cash than usualbecause more money was to be transported to post offices in the Tamaarea for the weekend.
The suspects fled with approximately 70 bags filled with cash. (It is not know if the bags contained this symbol on the outside: ¥. The thieves spent five minutes moving the money from a room used as a vault to their own vehicle.
Because of the broken lock on their way in, police suspect that the thieves knew details of the office and the money stored there, but neither had ever worked for the company in any capacity.
Files compiled by Andrew Joseph
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department apprehended Ueki, on suspicion of breaking into asecurity company office in Tachikawa (western Tokyo), on May 12, 2011 and injuring a security guard and stealing the money. His accomplice Watanabe iswanted on the same charges--burglary, inflicting injury and unlawfulentry into a building.
What is known, is that the duo contacted people with links to a crime syndicate (a Yakuza family) by phone before and after the robbery, as it is felt the two suspects were being instructed by gang members who concocted thecrime.
On May 12, Ueki and Watanabe broke into the officeof Nichigetsu Keibi Hosho through a small unlocked window just after 3AM--the lock on the waist-high window had been broken for at least six months.
The two slashed a 36-year-old security guard in the chest while he wassleeping on a sofa, bound his wrists with adhesive tape and made offwith about ¥604 million.
The guard was seriously injured (and may have woken up - sorry, I couldn't resist).
Ueki and Watanabe were spotted on surveillance camerasnear the crime site and were also seen purchasing duct tape at a convenience store in Hachioji, Tokyo, before the robbery. Ueki was arrested at his parents' home in Hino, Tokyo, shortlyafter May 31at 12 AM.
The security firm was keeping a larger amount of cash than usualbecause more money was to be transported to post offices in the Tamaarea for the weekend.
The suspects fled with approximately 70 bags filled with cash. (It is not know if the bags contained this symbol on the outside: ¥. The thieves spent five minutes moving the money from a room used as a vault to their own vehicle.
Because of the broken lock on their way in, police suspect that the thieves knew details of the office and the money stored there, but neither had ever worked for the company in any capacity.
Files compiled by Andrew Joseph
