3rd time unlucky for Tokyo robber

The Yomiuri Shimbun

A 48-year-old man was arrested Saturday on suspicion of stealing about 50,000 yen from a convenience store in Chuo Ward, Tokyo, that he had held up twice previously, according to the police.

Norihisa Namba, of Koto Ward, allegedly entered the Irifune branch of the Shinsen-gumi convenience store chain and threatened the 38-year-old male part-time clerk at the counter with a knife before grabbing 50,000 yen in cash, at about 4 a.m. Saturday, the police said.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police Department who had been staking out the store, which was robbed on Oct. 6 and Nov. 5, entered the store, disarmed Namba and arrested him.

Namba told investigators that Saturday's robbery was the third time he had targeted the store and admitted stealing a total of about 785,000 yen in at least five robberies, including the three.

(Dec. 2, 2007)