This photo provided by Kumamoto Prefectural Police shows some of the confiscated items.

       KUMAMOTO -- Five men were referred to prosecutors in southwest Japan on Nov. 10 for allegedly stealing items worth some 17 million yen (about $149,000) in 53 home robbery cases using a smartphone map app to find houses whose owners were away.

       Kumamoto Prefectural Police announced that they had wrapped up their investigation that day after they sent the group of men to prosecutors accusing them of stealing items including cash and paintings.

       According to the prefectural police, the suspects have told investigators that they used images on a map app to find houses where weeds were growing in the yard or the shutters were closed in daytime, implying that the residents were absent.

       Suspect Terumitsu Kakihara, 41, a resident of the prefectural town of Kikuyo, has been indicted. The other four suspects are Yoshinari Goto, 44, of the city of Kumamoto's Kita Ward; Kazunari Era, 40, of unknown address; Tatsunori Iwasaki, 40, of no fixed address; and a 44-year-old man living in the city of Kumamoto who is out on bail.

       The prefectural police allege the five men committed multiple thefts across four municipalities including the city of Kumamoto between around November 2019 and July 2021, stealing a total of 464 items including cash, hanging scrolls, antique coins, and rings. Era has reportedly denied the allegations while the other four have confessed.

       (Japanese original by Sonoko Nakamura, Kumamoto Bureau)

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