Police said Sunday they have arrested five men over a series of thefts in at least 66 residences in Tokyo.
The suspects were quoted by police as saying they wanted money to go to maid cafes in Akihabara and AKB48 concerts, TV Asahi reported.
According to to police, the leader of the gang is Yusuke Tazaki, 21, who is unemployed. He was arrested for breaking into a house in Tokyo's Edogawa Ward last December and stealing cash and rings worth 2.1 million yen.
Police said Tazaki formed the "Five Guys" gang with four other boys and that the group has burgled at least 66 households since last October. They are also suspected in several arson cases, TV Asahi reported.
© Japan Today
39 Comments
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oikawa
The wonders of imagination know no bounds.
Speed
I think they were just take the piss out the Keystones. They're probably just a typical bunch of good for nothing punks drinking, smoking, and ( ).
FightingViking
"Maid cafés"? "AKB"? Just shows the level of "intellectual intelligence" of the younger generation of today - and thieving? How have these kids been brought/dragged-up?
codomo
like people who spend money to kyabakura.
Herve Nmn L'Eisa
Perhaps there are five small rooms available for them in the penitentiary? They may also find employment there, lifetime employment.
Equality
I don't know which is more reprehensible, their crimes or taste in entertainment!
Ewan Huzarmy
'Five guys' gang .... bunch of scumbags, more like !
TumbleDry
Ban Maid Cafes and AKB48.
Serrano
Money for just maid cafes and concerts? No soaplands?
wontond
For their own safety, the 5 guys might want to keep the reason of their incarceration from the other inmates...embarrassing.
Maitake
typical warped minded otaku japanese... but this time it seems the latest craze has made you crazy enough to do the crime. for the sake of going to AKB concerts and maid cafes?? LMAO! the funniest part is they would steal and spend all that money and still be virgins. LOL
ReformedBasher
Wow, I'm not just feeling sad for the victims but the crims too.
Guys, buy your girlfriend/wife a maid costume. It's cheaper and better.
Not that I would know of course... :-)
Harry_Gatto
And they managed only 66 jobs before the police caught them, they must have been very careless indeed.
Mirai Hayashi
just what Japan needs: otaku thieves
TokyoHipHop
extreme otakus lol
nath
I guess the other four were boys under 20 so no names.
anahorn
66 residences? why not 48?
nath
creepy otaku's.. only in japan.
Ocgoodtimes
The 5 guys' gang had an IQ of 5, too. 66 burglaries only netted them 2.1 million yen? That comes to just over 30,000 yen per burglary--doesn't that seem like a small amount of money considering the risk of getting caught?
billyshears
Yes, exactly. These 5 people obviously represent "the younger generation of today". Of course the intellectual intelligence of yesterday was far superior and without any thieving.
yasukuni
I thought this was really funny!
Until I thought about it more. The guys probably knew how many weird cops there are, and thought that the cops/judge would let them off given their motivation was so understandable.
They were just unlucky. Other cops would have let them get away with it if they gave them free AKB48 and maid cafe tickets.
Anyway, there'll probably be an update explaining that the 5 guys were off-duty policemen.
Hôjô Sôun
ROB66?
yildiray
Read the article again ;-)
geoeyepie
2.1 million?!
wow! that is worth like 1000 votes for this year akb election.
i wonder who he would voted for?
man, she gonna lost alot of votes this year.
enkeldika
By reading the headline I know this will be extremely out of the question! LOL!
nath
@Speed
Oh, nonsense, these are merely japan's best and brightest young entrepreneur's making a name for themselves in a tough job market. They saw an opportunity and they didn't hesitate.
I would be surprised if they are not offered immediate management positions within the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department!
tmarie
Money for just maid cafes and concerts? No soaplands?
Nope. The otaku now are sexless and scared of women. AKB are nothing more than a bunch of silly girls that make these guys feel like men. What kind of parents raise these losers? Though to be fair, seems mommy and daddy finally drew a line in a sand so they losers had to start robbing people. Throw the book at them. I'd rather less like then out and about.
Trapped
I agree with yasukun san. I doubt that maid cafes and ak47 was the real objective, just a front to gain compassion and understanding from Mr. Prod.
Yubaru
Since the root of the problem seems to be AKB48 they should be banned from any public appearances anywhere, and dis-banned immediately they are a scourge on society.
Like drinking leads to driving, tobacco to other hard drugs, AKB to theft. Ban them all I say!
(And to those that read everything literally it's sarcasm, well everything but the banning of AKB48 that is!)
nudgenudge
Banning would give them more creedence than they deserve. Not that I am all that down on the group, I am just not impressed.
Ah_so
Do Japanese burglars take off their shoes when they enter the victim's house?
kchoze
When one's reality leads to despair, they'll do anything to evade it in their fantasies. For just one taste of a better life, they will do anything, even if it's all fake. Is this any worse than the millions of people all across the world, committing crimes, selling their bodies, just to get drugs to reach artificial nirvanas for a few minutes or hours?
This is the great irony of modern life. We have never been as well off materially, but emotionally, misery is still sky-high. I remember on another article here a commenter asking why people should care about the young being involuntarily celibate... this is why.
If they had good jobs, a strong circle of friends and girlfriends they loved and who loved them back, you think they would have done it?
nath
Am I the only one who finds this story amusing? Otaku mobsters? Lol! This would actually make for an interesting movie.
FightingViking
I believe that's the second time I've seen this question... Why don't you ask one?
HarryHillLover
I hope it doesn't start a trend of copy cat excuses!! Along with the "I was too drunk to remember", we've just added, "because I wanted money to see AKB in concert"!!!
LoveNot
AKB concert or a maid cafe? Japan is degrading for sure. I think if they said classical concerts and opera, I could have some respect for them
Bartholomew Harte
Maybe they can "Cosplay" in the CAN-the other less fortunate inmates need a laugh,too!
Ah_so
I think I first asked it in 1997. Perhaps you were there. Unfortunately I do not know any Japanese burglars.