Ibaraki cops: Man cut hole in apartment floor to rape female neighbor

IBARAKI (TR) – Ibaraki Prefectural Police have arrested a 51-year-old man who allegedly dug a hole in the floor of his apartment in Tskuba City in order sexually assault his female neighbor living in the unit below, reports Nippon News Network (Oct. 28).

At approximately 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Masahito Sato, a company employee, descended through the hole and sexually assaulted the woman, 39, after she returned home from work. When she resisted, he fled the scene.

Sato, who has been charged with trespassing and indecent assault causing injury, admits to the allegations. “I wanted to sexually violate her,” the suspect is quoted by officers from the Chuo Police Station, according to Jiji Press (Oct. 28).

The victim runs a restaurant that was frequented by Sato. Earlier this month, he moved into the second-floor unit that is directly above that of the woman.

Sato told police that over a 10-day period he used a saw and other tools to cut a rectangular gap (measuring 40 centimeters x 60 centimeters) in the floor of his apartment. He entered the unit of the woman by pulling off section of the ceiling of her bathroom.

During the attack, Sato threatened the woman by holding a stun gun up against her and pushing her to the floor. The woman suffered injuries to her left hand.

The suspect fled through the woman’s front door. About five and a half hours later, he was apprehended by police at a convenience store in the area. Officers seized the stun gun and handcuffs from the suspect.