Female caregiver sets fire to residence of 91-year-old man in Hokkaido

A female caregiver set fire to the residence of a 91-year-old man earlier this year (X)HOKKAIDO (TR) – Hokkaido Prefectural Police have arrested a 37-year-old female caregiver for attempting to set fire to the residence of a 91-year-old man earlier this year.

Tomoyo Yoshida is also suspected of stealing the man’s cash card three days prior to the incident, reports TV Asahi (Nov. 24).

Yoshida allegedly broke into the man’s residence at a public housing complex in the town of Bestukai around noon on a day in March, poured cooking oil on a newspaper lying in the entryway and set it on fire with a lighter.

Immediately after, the man exited the residence, noticed the fire and extinguished it himself with a broom.

“I was going shopping, and when I opened the sliding door and came out, the newspapers lying there were on fire. I was shocked,” the victim said.

At the time of the incident, Yoshida was visiting the man’s home twice a week to provide nursing care.

“]The suspect] is a very kind person. I was surprised,” he said.

Tomoyo Yoshida (X)Destruction of evidence

At some point, the suspect appears to have obtained the PIN number of a cash card she stole from the victim and withdrawn 138,000 yen in cash from a convenience store ATM.

“I set fire to hide evidence so that my theft of the cash card wouldn’t be discovered,” she said.

The incident came to light when the man’s daughter reported the crime. Yoshida was arrested on suspicion of theft last month. She has now been rearrested on suspicion of attempted arson. She admits to both charges, police said.

“I write a lot, so I write all night and sleep during the day,” the victim said. “[The suspect] stole my money while I was sleeping. When I went to withdraw money [from the ATM] to go to the hospital, they said, ‘The money has been withdrawn from your bank account and there is no balance.’”