Key Facts
• August 12: Robotic vacuum worth ¥99,700 stolen in Obihiro, Hokkaido.
• 18-year-old suspect injured store employee during theft attempt.
• September 8: Police arrested 23-year-old man and 20-year-old woman as accomplices.
• The couple, both unemployed, are acquaintances of the 18-year-old.
• August 11: 18-year-old also stole a mini stereo worth ¥79,860 from another store.
• Stolen stereo found in a local recycling shop and identified as stolen property.
• 18-year-old admitted to the theft, stating, “It’s true.”
• Police investigating possible resale motives and roles of the three suspects.
Summary
An 18-year-old male and a couple in their 20s were arrested for stealing a robotic vacuum worth ¥99,700 from an electronics store in Obihiro, Hokkaido, on August 12. The 18-year-old injured a store employee during the theft. The couple, aged 23 and 20, were arrested on September 8 as accomplices. The three are acquaintances. The 18-year-old also stole a mini stereo worth ¥79,860 from another store on August 11, later found in a recycling shop. He admitted to the crime. Police are investigating the suspects’ motives, including potential resale plans, and their roles in the incidents.
