The Dark Past and Local Reputation of a 78-Year-Old Who Tried to Abduct a High School Girl

Approached on the street in broad daylight and forced into a car

“You’re cute,”

The 78-year-old man said to the high school girl before kidnapping her in broad daylight.

“On May 14, the Saitama Prefectural Police Soka Station arrested an unemployed man (78) on suspicion of kidnapping for indecent purposes and attempted non-consensual sexual intercourse. The man is suspected of grabbing a high school girl by the arm on a street in Soka City at around 2:00 p.m. on May 11, dragging her into a light vehicle he was driving and attempting to sexually assault her for about 20 minutes.

The high school girl violently resisted, so he was released on the street about 200 meters from where he had taken her, and the man fled. The high school girl was not injured. The incident came to light the next day when the victim’s mother reported the incident to the police.

Furthermore, on the afternoon of the 13th, the mother called 110 and reported that she had seen the suspicious person who had called out to her daughter on the 11th. Security camera footage and other sources revealed the man’s involvement.” (National newspaper social affairs reporter) 

What kind of person is the 78-year-old suspect who committed such an astonishingly bold crime?

The man’s home was about a 15-minute walk from the nearest station, in a quiet residential area lined with detached houses. A man in his 30s who lives nearby expressed his surprise, saying, “(The man) was a nice old man.”

“He’s been living here for decades. He has a child who is older than me, but they have already moved out and now live with his wife. He often takes walks around the neighborhood, talking to children and giving them sweets. My impression of him is that he’s a talkative, friendly grandfather.”

According to a woman in her 40s who lives nearby, the suspect had a surprising side to him.

“Apparently, she used to be an enka singer, and I once received a poster of her that said, ‘Oh, so that’s what you did.’ However, from the way she talked, it didn’t seem like she ever appeared on TV or had any hit songs.”

When we visited the man’s home, his wife gave us an interview.

“I feel truly sorry for the victim. This is the first time I’ve been arrested for a crime, so I’m just confused. Before the incident, there was nothing unusual about him. The only thing I can think of is that he had too much free time and did it on a whim.”

He also denied the allegations that he had attempted to sexually assault her.

“Only he knows the truth. But the victim is a girl about the same age as his grandchild, so I don’t think that’s possible.”

The suspect is currently partially denying the charges, saying, “The girl got in the car naturally. I was in no way forceful.”

Why did this 78-year-old man, known in the neighborhood as a friendly grandpa, end up being arrested? We look forward to the progress of the investigation.