Former Employee of Luxury Ginza Bar Arrested for Alleged Whisky Theft; 2 Bottles of Yamazaki 25 Years Old, Empty Bottle of Hibiki Stolen

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:31 JST, June 6, 2024

A former employee of a luxury bar in Tokyo’s Ginza district was arrested by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police on Wednesday, primarily on suspicion of stealing expensive whisky from the bar. The 39-year-old, Keiji Inamoto, currently has no fixed address and is unemployed.

Inamoto allegedly entered the bar through an unlocked back door in the early hours of March 18 and stole two unopened bottles of Yamazaki 25 Years Old whisky as well as an empty bottle of Hibiki 30 Years Old, valued at ¥1.21 million in total. He has admitted to the allegations.

Inamoto was previously arrested on May 15 and accused of setting fire to the bar after the time when the whisky theft would have occurred. The police said Inamoto sold the stolen whisky and other items for about ¥2.3 million at a shop that buys second-hand items in Tokyo.