[Matsudo Pawnshop Theft of 2.89 Million Yen] The “Pattern” of Tokuryu-Style Crime Comes to Light with the Arrest of Two More Brazilian Men

He smashed one display case after another with a crowbar

At 8:00 a.m. on October 10, a burly man emerged from the Asakusa Police Station of the Metropolitan Police Department. This man, who appeared to be Caucasian, was suspect Miyashiro Aliso Mekson (30), a Brazilian national.When Suspect Miyashiro spotted the media cameras, he looked down and covered his face with both hands. The back of his left hand was completely covered in tattoos—.

By October 9, a joint investigation team from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department and the Chiba Prefectural Police had arrested two suspects on suspicion of theft and other offenses: Miyashiro, a Brazilian national of unknown occupation residing in Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture, and a 20-year-old temporary worker living in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture.

“The suspects are accused of breaking into a pawnshop in Matsudo City around 2:30 a.m. on October 1 of last year by smashing the window with a crowbar or similar tool, and stealing a total of 32 items—including wristwatches, rings, and necklaces—with a retail value of approximately 2.89 million yen.

At the time, security camera footage from the scene recorded several men wearing dark-colored clothing breaking the window and entering the store. They were seen smashing display cases one after another with crowbars and similar tools, stuffing the merchandise into bags, and leaving the scene within a short time. According to the store manager, the crime lasted about two and a half minutes.

Four men have already been arrested in connection with this incident, and based on their statements, suspicions have arisen that Miyashiro and another suspect were also involved as perpetrators.Suspect Miyashiro has admitted to the charges, stating, “I smashed the glass of the display cases with a crowbar,” but the 20-year-old man appears to be denying the allegations, saying, “I have absolutely no recollection of this.” (Crime reporter for a national newspaper)

The arrests of the four men were prompted by a theft that occurred at a watch store in Taito Ward, Tokyo, at around 3:15 a.m. on October 4 of last year—three days after the Matsudo incident.The modus operandi—breaking down the door with a crowbar to gain entry and stealing items such as wristwatches worth approximately 2.2 million yen—was very similar to the Matsudo incident.

Those arrested in connection with this incident in June of this year included a 25-year-old male office worker from Aichi Prefecture, a 26-year-old man of unknown occupation, a 25-year-old self-employed man of Brazilian nationality from Osaka Prefecture, and a man who was 19 at the time.

“Each person will receive a reward of 1 million yen.”

“It is believed that a mastermind in this case used a highly anonymous messaging app, and from the outset, police suspected the crime was committed by an anonymous, transient criminal group—so-called ‘Tokuryu’—and suspected a connection to the Matsudo case. The four were subsequently re-arrested on suspicion of theft in connection with that case as well.

It is believed that one of the four served as the recruiter. During questioning, a 19-year-old man stated, ‘The ringleader approached me with a proposal for a property theft job in the Kanto region,’ and reportedly recruited others by saying, ‘Each perpetrator will receive a reward of 1 million yen.’The three others in their 20s, aside from this man, were classmates from high school. A man of Brazilian nationality, who served as the driver, reportedly stated, “I was told, ‘You’ll make good money if you steal,’ and I committed the crime for the reward.” (Crime Reporter)

And that is why two of the perpetrators, including suspect Miyashiro, were recently arrested. This brings the total number of arrests in the Matsudo pawnshop theft case to six. It is also reported that the trail of the stolen goods is becoming clear.

“After the crime, it is believed that the stolen items, such as wristwatches, were handed over to another member of the group in a parking lot at a park in Edogawa Ward, Tokyo. Furthermore, it has been confirmed that some of these items were taken to a buyer in Shizuoka Prefecture and sold there.

The joint investigation headquarters appears to be investigating individuals who gave instructions and those involved in disposing of the stolen goods as well. With the arrest of two Brazilian suspects this time, the personal connections among the members are likely to become even clearer.” (Ibid.)

The person who recruits the operatives, the person who carries out the crimes, and the person who receives the stolen goods—the true nature of the criminal group is gradually coming to light.

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