[JapanCase] 300 million yen robbery
In December of 1968, a seemingly ordinary event in a Japanese city would unfold into one of the most dramatic and mysterious heists in history. It all started with a threatening letter delivered to the manager of the Kokubunji branch of the Japan Trust Bank, warning that the manager’s house would be blown up unless 3 million yen was delivered by 5 PM the following day. Initially, the police thought it was a prank, but they soon realized they were wrong.
On December 10, 1968, at around 9:30 AM, a cash transport vehicle loaded with 300 million yen for year-end bonuses departed from the Japan Trust Bank’s Kokubunji branch. At the time, these transport vehicles were nothing like the specialized, armored cars used today; they were just ordinary sedans. As the transport vehicle approached the Fuchu Prison, a man riding a motorcycle, dressed as a police officer, appeared and claimed that a bomb had been planted in the vehicle. He demanded the crew evacuate.
The supposed police officer proceeded to investigate the vehicle, and suddenly yelled, "It's a bomb! Get away!" As smoke started to pour from the trunk, the vehicle sped off, and the officers and crew, assuming they were being saved from a real bomb, were shocked to realize too late that the person was not an officer at all. The vehicle had been stolen.
Despite police efforts to track the stolen vehicle, the criminal managed to evade capture. Eventually, it was revealed that the same person responsible for the threatening letters to the bank was also behind the hijacking. However, due to a series of blunders in the investigation—including improper handling of evidence, faulty witness statements, and a mishandled composite sketch—the authorities failed to make an arrest.
An even darker twist emerged when journalists uncovered evidence suggesting that the police may have had an opportunity to catch the criminal but deliberately ignored it. The suspect's composite sketch bore a striking resemblance to a deceased juvenile delinquent. Upon further investigation, it was found that this boy was the son of a high-ranking police officer, and the circumstances surrounding the boy’s death raised serious doubts.
Despite the considerable resources and 7 billion yen spent on the investigation, the case remained unsolved. The criminal's identity and motive remained shrouded in mystery, leaving behind one of the most infamous unsolved crimes in Japan’s history.
