Man arrested over RM36,000 grape theft in western Japan


TOKYO (Agencies): Japan’s police said on Aug 29 that they have arrested a 42-year-old unemployed man of no fixed address on suspicion of stealing about 650 bunches of grapes worth roughly 1.43 million yen (US$8,950 or RM36,000) from a greenhouse in Okayama Prefecture.

Masakazu Maeda, who has already been indicted in another grape theft case, has partially denied the allegation, with the police in western Japan quoting him as saying, “I don’t think there were as many as 650 bunches, from what I remember.”

The police suspect Maeda stole Shine Muscat and other grapes between around 7am local time on Aug 4 and about 6am the following day, as it was reported in leading Japanese news outlets.

According to the police, he told investigators he sold the grapes online on flea market and auction sites to cover living expenses. -- Agencies

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