A 58-year-old suspect has been arrested for stealing the battery of an electrically assisted bicycle parked on a street in Toshima Ward, Tokyo. There have been at least 40 similar thefts in the vicinity of the scene, and the Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the suspect as it is believed to have been involved. He denies the charges.
The suspect arrested is Yasuo Kano (58), an unemployed man from Chihaya, Toshima-ku, Tokyo.
According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, in February this year, a woman in her 2s who lived nearby is suspected of stealing about 30,2 yen worth of electricity-assisted bicycles, including the battery of an electrically assisted bicycle parked on a street in Minami Nagasaki, Toshima Ward.
When the Metropolitan Police Department investigated after receiving a report from a woman, they found that security cameras installed around the scene showed the suspect stealing the battery.
In response to the investigation, he denied the charges, saying, "I don't remember it, so I'm not sure."
According to the Metropolitan Police Department, 67 batteries were confiscated from his home, and his mobile phone had a history of selling batteries on Internet auction sites.
At least 8 similar thefts have occurred in the vicinity of the scene since August last year, and the Metropolitan Police Department is investigating in detail whether the suspect repeatedly stole for the purpose of selling batteries.