A "laundry thief" steals 730 pieces of women's underwear
Picture of stolen clothes.
A Japanese man has been arrested for stealing more than 700 pieces of women's underwear from different laundries.
The incident came to light after 56-year-old Tetsuo Urata was caught stealing six pairs of underwear from a 21-year-old student at a coin-operated laundromat in Oita Prefecture, southern Japan, according to Abima TV.
When the police searched his house, they were shocked to find an additional 730 pieces of clothing.
Orata was arrested and confessed to the authorities that he stole the underwear found in his possession, and fell asleep to Japanese media.
Pictures released by police show hundreds of underwear and bras lying on the floor, with police insisting they have not encountered such a large scale theft in years.
"We haven't confiscated such a large number of underwear in years," a Beppu city police spokesman told Abima TV.
It is unclear how many laundries Orata targeted and the time frame in which they were stolen.
Meanwhile, news of this strange hobby has spread on social media and people are wondering why the man indulged in such a hobby.
According to reports, several similar stories of men stealing women's underwear from Japan have surfaced in recent years.
A few months ago, authorities in southwestern Saga Prefecture charged Takahiro Kubo, a 30-year-old electrician, with stealing 424 pieces of underwear and swimwear from teenage girls.
Also in India, two young men were seen stealing underwear from a clothesline and fleeing on their scooter.
When the video reached social media, it caused an outpouring of anger and disbelief, with many suspecting that some occult practice was the motive behind the theft of the woman's underwear.
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