‘Kansai’s Lupin’ admits to 150 burglaries

TOKYO (TR) – For the second time this month, a suspected criminal has invoked the popular animation “Lupin the Third” during questioning by police.

In the latest case, police have arrested Hiromichi Komatsu, 46, of no known occupation, over the burglary of an office in Tachikawa City, reports NHK (Sept. 20).

Early on August 10, Komatsu used a tool to smash a window and gain access to the office. He then swiped a computer and other items with a combined value of around 500,000 yen.

Komatsu surfaced as a person of interest in the case after an examination of a sales record at a used-goods dealer, police said.

Beginning in June, there have been a string of similar burglaries in which cash and valuables were taken in the Tama area. Police are investigating whether Komatsu was also behind those cases.

“Kansai’s Lupin”

Komatsu refers to himself as “Kansai’s Lupin,” a name taken from the animation “Lupin the Third,” which features a thief who totes a gun.

“This year, my focus was Kansai, where I carried out about 100 burglaries. But after I thought the police were targeting me, I moved to prosperous Edo,” Komatsu said, using the old name for Tokyo. “In Tokyo, I’ve added another 50 burglaries.”

Last week, police arrested a 40-year-old man over the attempted robbery of a convenience store in Tokyo’s Suginami Ward. In carrying out the crime, the suspect used a toy gun.

Upon his arrest several days later, he denied the allegations, saying that the toy gun in his possession upon his apprehension was due to his fondness for “Lupin the Third.”