Kyodo
A former gangster believed to be involved in Japan's biggest cash robbery was arrested Sunday in Tochigi Prefecture, bringing total arrests in the case to six, they said.
Tsutomu Sakuma, 37, is suspected of injuring a Tokyo security company employee and stealing around ¥600 million on May 12 in a conspiracy to rob the company with others, the police said.
Police found about ¥60 million in a bag belonging to Sakuma that was found at an apartment in Tochigi Prefecture. Police believe the money is part of the ¥600 million taken from the company in Tachikawa, western Tokyo.
Sakuma claimed that Yutaka Watanabe, a suspect who has already been indicted in the case, gave him the money and that he himself did not take part in the alleged crime.
"I didn't do the robbery," Sakuma was quoted as saying.
When arrested, Sakuma had two handguns at the apartment. He reportedly told investigators that the guns were acquired for killing himself if necessary.
Sakuma landed on the wanted list after being sighted by a security camera at a highway interchange together with Watanabe.
Police found Sakuma by analyzing cellphone records seized from a yazuka office.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.