Gang nabbed

Press, 9 February 1983, Page 15

Gang nabbed

NZPA Sendai Five bike-riding primary school boys with costly video game habits have been taken into custody for allegedly stealing a total of 9.57 million yen ($55,600) in cash and jewellery, say the police in Sendai, north-eastern Japan. Tkn in 11

The boys, aged 10 and 11, had stolen 1.57 million yen (about $9000) in cash and 8 million yen ($46,500) in diamond rings and other jewellery, a police spokesman said.

They had admitted to 30 cases of robbery, breaking into cars and shoplifting reported between June and November. The five had told the police that they spent the money on video games in downtown Sendai arcades.

A different group of nine junior high and primary school youngsters, who learned of the bicycle gang's raids, also had been taken into custody for allegedly blackmailing the five and receiving 650,000 yen ($3600) as “hush money,” the spokesman said.

The fourteen youngsters

from the two groups would not be arrested or charged because they were aged under 14, the minimum age requirement for indictment and trial under the Juvenile Act.