警視庁けいしちょう捜査そうさ1課かの警部けいぶを逮捕たいほ 火事かじ現場げんばで約やく300万まん円えん盗ぬすんだ疑うたがい

A police inspector in his 50s, who is in charge of investigating fires at the Metropolitan Police Departments First Investigation Division, was arrested for allegedly stealing about 3 million yen in cash from the scene of a fire where an elderly person living alone had died.

The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating, believing that about 10 thefts have been repeatedly committed over the past three years, with total damages amounting to 9 million yen.

The person arrested is Ryoji Masano 51, a police inspector in charge of fire investigations at the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department’s First Investigation Division.

According to the Metropolitan Police Department, there are suspicions that cash—1,000 yen in one case and approximately 3 million yen in the other—was stolen at the scenes of two fires where elderly people living alone died: one in Koto Ward this January, and another in Shibuya Ward in October 2022.

In January of this year, an anonymous tip was received from outside, and as a result of the investigation conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department, it was discovered that there was suspicion of cash being stolen at several sites visited for cause investigation.

It is believed that the stolen cash was deposited into his own account or used for living expenses, and during questioning, he admitted to the charges and stated, No matter how much money I have, I feel anxious when I think about the future, among other things.

The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating, believing that about ten thefts have been committed using similar methods over the past three years, with total damages amounting to 9 million yen.

Chief Inspector Masano had long been involved in fire investigations in the First Investigation Division, and as a technical instructor, he was in a position to provide guidance on matters such as determining the cause.

Junichiro Kan, Superintendent of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, stated, It is an outrageous act committed by an employee who should set an example, and it is extremely regrettable as it betrays the trust of the citizens and the public.

We deeply apologize to those who have been affected as well as to the citizens of Tokyo and the nation, and we will take strict action based on the facts that come to light in the ongoing investigation, he commented.