2 Chilean Men Arrested in Tokyo Watch Theft Case May Belong to South American Crime Group
Two Chilean men who have been arrested and indicted on suspicion of stealing luxury watches at a store in Tokyo are believed to be members of a ring of South American thieves operating internationally, according to investigative sources.
Two Chilean men were arrested in Tokyo on suspicion of stealing luxury watches from a store, according to investigative sources. The men, Manzano Quezada Boris Alexis and another unnamed individual, are believed to be members of a South American crime group accused of targeting various countries. The theft occurred on August 25 at a watch store in Nakano Ward, Tokyo, where the suspects smashed a glass display case and stole four Swiss watches worth approximately ¥200 million.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) suspects the two men are part of the South American Theft Group (SATG), known for using tactics such as posing as tourists and repeatedly entering and exiting target countries. The suspects were apprehended in Osaka City two days after the incident. Three of the stolen watches, worth about ¥150 million, remain unrecovered.
The two Chilean men entered Japan on August 21 and stayed at a minpaku private lodging facility in Tokyo's Asakusa district. One of the men mentioned in interviews that he had heard about lenient penalties in Japan. Another individual, believed to be an SATG member, has also been arrested for a separate theft incident in Tokyo.
Written by urgent.news from The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
