Police recapture escaped rape suspect Sugimoto Yuta in Yokohama.
One of the most shared stories on Yahoo! Japan over the past few days has been news of the arrest of Sugimoto Yuta, a suspect wanted for robbery and gang rape, who managed to escape from police custody.
Netizens express their relief at his capture, with many asking that he be harshly punished for his crimes. Others, however, have pointed out police incompetency at letting the man escape in the first place.
From Yahoo! Japan:
Man On The Run In Kawasaki Seized By Police In Yokohama
Suspect Sugimoto Yuta
Suspect Sugimoto Yuta (20), an unemployed man from Shukugawara, Tama Ward, Kawasaki City, who went on the run from the Kawasaki division of the Yokohama district prosecutors at Kawasaki Ward, also Kawasaki City, was discovered in an area of woodland in the vicinity of a park in Izumi Ward, Yokohama City, captured by police, and arrested on January 9. Sugimoto had been arrested on suspicion of robbery and gang rape. According to police, Sugimoto was apparently discovered by a policeman on patrol.
Up to Sugimoto’s arrest, prefectural police had focused their investigation on his associates, continuing to hold interviews of a group of around 20 of his friends, as well as continuing a large-scale search operation involving around 4,000 men; however, it took around two days to capture him.
Sugimoto was arrested on January 6, and after being referred to prosecutors on the afternoon of January 7, he was interviewed by his lawyer in an interview room on the 6th floor of the district prosecutor’s branch office. During the interview Sugimoto went to the toilet, and at around 2:25pm, after the rope around his waist was re-fastened, he said that “the rope has slackened”, and the moment a police sergeant in his 50s went around to check the rope, Sugimoto dropped the rope and fled through an unlocked door via the staircase.
Since the prosecutor had left the interview room on business immediately before Sugimoto’s escape, at the time there were only two lawyers and the police sergeant in the room with the suspect.
On January 8, prefectural police issued a fugitive warrant for Sugimoto throughout Japan. A team of around 4,000 people investigated his movements focussing on the area around his home in Kawasaki City and the boundaries of the city and prefecture. Starting with manga cafes, internet cafes, and empty houses, police interviewed around 20 of his friends while also searching places where Sugimoto might have possibly entered. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police were also looking for Sugimoto by deploying police at central highways on the prefectural boundary.
Comments from Yahoo! Japan:
bhx*****:
Glad they caught him.
The bastard should get a tough sentence.
安倍•産経•ネット右翼しばき隊本部:
I’m relieved they finally got him.
But the police and the prosecutors have some serious thinking to do.
twg*****:
This guy should be harshly punished!
nhr*****:
If there was anyone who helped him escape, they need the book thrown at them too!
どうってことない:
Sugimoto is total scum, so make sure he doesn’t see the light of day again.
Still, kinda pisses me off that this bastard will live off of our taxes, so treat him accordingly.
I hope they also get the bastards who helped this asshole escape.
qwe*****:
The people in his neighbourhood must also be relieved. Particularly those parents who have young children.
kir*****:
Someone ask at a press conference what the Kanagawa prefectural police are going to do about the mismanagement in this case?
wat*****:
Kanagawa Police need to pull their socks up!
ta7*****:
How much money did they was because this guy escaped?
にゅるにゅるにゅるにゅる:
At last.
Incapable police, you have to be fucking kidding me.
unknown:
They should arrest his acquaintances for aiding and abetting him.
yaf*****:
There’s no way he could escape completely, and even if he did escape he’d be living in fear, he wouldn’t be able to do anything. And still, he went and made his own crimes even worse. What an idiot.
I’m glad he was arrested so that he’s not a danger to ordinary people.
kso*****:
Obviously has zero remorse!!!
Give him a harsh punishment!
