A thirsty crook found himself in cuffs after stealing a GBP 54,000 pure gold tea bowl led by the thought of enjoying a sip of tea from the valuable vessel.
The bowl had been part of a special Dai Ogonten exhibition at Takashimaya, one of the most expensive stores in Japan, when thief Masaru Horie, 32, says he was overwhelmed by its beauty.
He later told police that when he reached out to touch the bowl, priced at JPY 10.4 million, its plastic case moved and he couldn’t resist pocketing it.
Horie admitted to police: “When I held the case, it moved, so I took it because I thought I could take it.
“I went in and out of the exhibition hall several times thinking I could take other things.”
The 32-year-old suspect claimed that at first, he imagined himself drinking green matcha tea from the stunning vessel when he saw it around 11:40am on 11th April.
He said: “I was going to drink tea. There is no mistake. I have sold the tea bowl.”
But as he walked out of the store he headed straight to an antique shop where he sold the bowl for just JPY 1.8 million (GBP 9,349), a fraction of its true value.
He was caught, though, when store staff called the police who identified him through security CCTV footage.
Police found the bowl four days later (15th April) at a second antique shop, in Tokyo’s Taito Ward, it had been sold on to, reports local media.
Owners of the 24-karat bowl, crafted by expert goldsmith Koichi Ishikawa, identified it from its unique markings on the base and its exact weight.
Horie, who still had around JPY 1.3 million (GBP 6,757) in cash on him when he was arrested, is facing theft charges, reports local media.
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Story By: Georgina Jedikovska, Sub-Editor: Georgina Jedikovska, Agency: Newsflash
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