Overview
- Tokyo Metropolitan Police arrested a 49-year-old former pipefitter with no fixed address on suspicion of stealing metal flush valves from park restrooms.
- Investigators say he admitted committing the thefts 70 to 80 times and selling the parts as scrap, with buyers paying about ¥860 per kilogram.
- Police are examining ties to a series at Tokyo’s metropolitan parks, where officials reported 22 valves stolen from nine parks in March valued at about ¥1.2 million.
- Park staff and contracted security discovered the missing parts during patrols, and the city filed police reports, requested stronger patrols, and posted warnings in toilets.
- A flush valve includes the lever and the pipe that feeds water to the bowl, so removing it stops flushing and leaves facilities out of service for visitors.