Police in Hekinan City, Aichi Prefecture, have apprehended a 21-year-old man on charges of fraud and impersonating a police officer. The suspect, identified as Ryoma Ito from Funabashi in Chiba Prefecture, is believed to be part of a criminal group that specifically targets elderly individuals.
According to reports from NHK, the local authorities have stated that Ito conspired with an accomplice over the course of two days – Wednesday and Thursday. On Wednesday, one member of the group contacted an 80-year-old woman by phone and claimed to be a police officer. The caller informed her that they needed to inspect her residence for counterfeit currency.
The following morning, Ito arrived at the woman’s house and presented her with a fake police badge. He then requested permission to examine any cash she had on hand. Trusting his authority as an alleged law enforcement officer, she complied and revealed that she possessed 15 million yen in cash. After “inspecting” the money himself, Ito declared it counterfeit and confiscated it while assuring the victim that she would receive compensation at a later time.
Upon realizing something was amiss after Ito’s departure, the woman promptly contacted local authorities to verify the legitimacy of the supposed police officer’s identity. It was confirmed by law enforcement officials that he was indeed an imposter. Surveillance camera footage captured outside her residence played a crucial role in identifying Ito as he was subsequently arrested later on Thursday.
In light of this incident, Hekinan City has reported multiple instances this week alone where residents received fraudulent phone calls from individuals posing as police officers.
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