Mie man arrested for stealing Buddhist statues from multiple temples

A 74-year-old man from Ise, Mie Prefecture, has been arrested on suspicion of trespassing and theft following a series of burglaries at Buddhist temples.

According to the Toba Police Station, the suspect allegedly entered a temple in Matsusaka City between June 18 and June 20, stealing a wooden Buddhist statue valued at approximately 100,000 yen. The theft was discovered by temple officials on July 26. Investigators identified the suspect through security camera footage after he had been arrested in an unrelated matter.

The man is also facing charges for previous thefts involving two Buddhist statues in Shima City, valued at 1 million yen, and three statues in Watarai District, valued at 1.1 million yen. He has admitted to the charges, and authorities are investigating his motives and potential further offenses.