Four Vietnamese Citizens Arrested In Japan For Stealing In UNIQLO Outlet Worth IDR 2.1 Billion

ILLUSTRATION/UNSPLASH/Howen

JAKARTA - Four Vietnamese citizens were arrested for stealing at the IQLO outlets and other clothing stores in Japan.

Losses due to repeated thefts are estimated at around 20 million (approximately IDR 2.1 billion), Japanese police said.

The four - two men and two women in their 30s and 40s - are believed to have stolen 5,237 items, including aweater and jacket, in several visits to Japan between December 2018 and October 2023.

They are suspected of being involved in 67 crimes at Tokyo and seven prefectures, including Osaka and Fukuoka, and facing criminal charges in two cases of theft and one case of house burglary.

Vietnam also has IQLO outlets, which are operated by Japanese companyFast RetailingCo. However, the suspects may be eyeing Japan's IQLO outlets because many provide payment methods independently, according to sources handling the investigation.

Reported by ANTARA from Kyodo, Wednesday, February 7, the suspects have acknowledged the allegations and argued that they were experiencing financial difficulties.

They may have sold the stolen items in the online market of Vietnam.

The Fukuoka prefectural police, who arrested the four men, have also been ordered to arrest a woman in her 40s living in Vietnam on suspicion of being the mastermind of the crimes of the suspects, according to a number of sources.