According to a report from Kyodo News on Jan. 30, five individuals—three Japanese nationals and two Chinese nationals—were robbed of suitcases containing 420 million yen in cash on a street in central Tokyo on the night of Jan. 29 at around 9:30 p.m.
According to the report, the victims, aged in their 20s to 40s, were loading three suitcases filled with cash into a car when the incident occurred.
A Chinese man among the victims was sprayed with a substance believed to be tear gas by one of the three suspects, who then fled the scene with all three suitcases. Around the same time, a vehicle hit a pedestrian in their 50s nearby and fled. Authorities suspect the hit-and-run was linked to the robbery.
Hours later, at a parking lot in Haneda Airport, a man carrying a suitcase containing 190 million yen called the police, claiming he was also targeted. The man stated that as he exited his car, a white vehicle approached, and a man in his 20s or 30s in the back seat shouted to distract him before spraying tear gas. However, the suspects left without stealing his belongings.
The three suspects in both incidents remain at large, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Police believe the two cases are connected. Investigations are underway for robbery and other offenses.
The robbery in Taito Ward occurred near JR Okachimachi Station, an area known for its high-rise buildings and jewelry shops. A local woman in her 50s pointed out that the Okachimachi area is a jewelry district, and robberies have happened here before.
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