17-05-2025
Brazilian pair suspected in theft of 60 luxury vehicles
GUNMA (TR) – Law enforcement has arrested two Brazilian nationals who are suspected in the theft of dozens of luxury vehicles in the Kanto region dating back to last year, reports the Sankei Shimbun (May 14).
At around midnight on June 24 last year, Mitsuharu Marcelo Tamura, 52, and Vinicius Himuro, 29, are suspected of working together to steal a Toyota Land Cruiser worth about 5 million yen from a parking lot in Kiryu City, Gunma Prefecture.
Both suspects live in Gunma. Upon his arrest on suspicion of theft on Wednesday, Tamura declined to comment. However, Himuro admitted to the charges. 'Tamura took the stolen car,' he said. Mitsuharu Marcelo Tamura (X) 'Used some kind of machine'
Tokyo Metropolitan Police and Gunma Prefectural Police are conducting a joint investigation. According to police, Tamura was the main perpetrator. Meanwhile, Himuro drove to the crime scene and kept watch.
The involvement of the two men emerged after an examination of security camera footage and other sources.
Himuro stated that he 'used some kind of machine' to carry out the crime. Police suspect it was a so-called 'CAN Invader' (Controller Area Network). The palm-size device allows thieves to bypass the latest anti-theft technology.
Police believe Tamura is the leader of a crime ring that was behind the theft of approximately 60 luxury vehicles in Tokyo and seven prefectures, mainly in Kanto, since April last year. The value of the stolen vehicles totals around 210 million yen, police said.
The arrest of Himuro is his first. However, Tamura has been accused in at least two other cases, including the theft of a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado worth approximately 4 million yen from a parking lot in Tochigi City, Tochigi Prefecture on January 7 of this year.
