5 days ago
Broadcast of passed-out livestreamer leads police to yakuza theft ring
KANAGAWA (TR) – In October 2023, a male livestreamer fell asleep on a street in Yokohama City during a broadcast. Several thieves then swiped his smartphone and other items. Unbeknownst to them, the broadcast was still going when they fled the scene, ill-gotten gains in hand.
Fast forward a year and a half.
Kanagawa Prefectural Police this week announced the arrest of the 56-year-old boss of a criminal syndicate and three accomplices who are believed to have repeatedly worked with a ring that targeted drunk persons passed out in entertainment districts in Yokohama for thefts, reports the Asahi Shimbun (June 25).
In one case, the four suspects, including Yoshifumi Shinkai, an executive in the Kodo-kai, are suspected working together to purchase necklaces and other items — worth approximately 1.84 million yen — with illegally obtained credit cards in other people's names on June 30 last year.
The suspects used three stores, including pawnshops in Yokohama and Kawasaki cities, to make the purchases.
Upon his arrest on suspicion of violating the Organized Crime Punishment Act, Shinkai declined to comment. Yoshifumi Shinkai (X) 'Fishermen'
The Kodo-kai is an affiliate gang of the Yamaguchi-gumi, Japan's largest syndicate. Shinkai, the leader of the theft ring, lives in Yokohama's Naka Ward. The arrest is at least his second.
In carrying out the crimes, the four suspects referred to drunk people sleeping on the street as ' maguro ' (tuna) and those who steal money and valuables from them as 'tuna fishermen.' 'Disposal agents' bought the cards and other items stolen by the 'fishermen' and use them illegally or sold them.
In the case from last year, the card was one of the belongings stolen from a male corporate employee, 58, who was drunk and sleeping in a park in Naka Ward, Yokohama on June 29.
Shinkai and his accomplices bought the victim's wallet, cards, smartphone and other items for a total of 30,000 yen from thieves, police said.
As a part of that investigation, police found credit cards and other items belonging to 456 people in the suspects' homes and in the possession of other parties. Police are investigating whether the four were involved in repeated crimes as a group.
It is believed that Shinkai managed and distributed the money gained from sales of the stolen items.
The existence of the ring emerged following an investigation into the theft from the aforementioned livestreamer in 2023. After the thieves fled the scene, they reported their success to a higher-up, all of which was captured on the livestream.
In February of last year, police arrested three men on suspicion of theft as the 'tuna fishermen' in the crime. The group led by Shinkai emerged from the statements from the suspects.
