Former security company employee arrested on suspicion of stealing ¥100 mil. from ATMs

Chiba Prefectural Police have arrested a former employee of a security firm on suspicion of stealing about ¥100 million from ATMs in the prefecture.

Keita Kakugawa, 33, a former employee of the Chiba Branch of Sohgo Security Services Co. is suspected of stealing ¥9,598,000 from ATMs at six locations on Oct. 28 when he was conducting maintenance work on the machines.

According to a statement issued by the Kashiwa Police Department, Kakugawa was conducting maintenance work alone on that day. The company discovered money was missing from the ATMs on Nov. 2.

Kakugawa was arrested Wednesday and has admitted to the charge. “I needed money to gamble on boat racing,” he was quoted as saying.