Tokyo teacher suspected in theft of musical instruments

TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a teacher at a municipal middle school in Kokubunji City for stealing expensive musical instruments from the school, reports the Asahi Shimbun (July 24).

between June 10 and 20, Toshiaki Okushima, a 35-year-old science teacher, broke into the music preparation room at the school without a legitimate reason.

He is also suspected of stealing a total of five instruments, including a saxophone, a horn and a piccolo. They have a total of about 360,000 yen.

Upon his arrest on suspicion of trespassing and theft, Okushima, who lives in Higashimurayama City, told the Koganei Police Station he had sold the instruments to a second-hand store in Tokyo. He said, “I was short on money. I wanted to pay off my debts.”

In June, the middle school consulted with police. A representative of the school said, “Instruments sometimes go missing at school.”

Several other instruments have gone missing from the school. Police are investigating the possibility that Okushima may have been involved.

In response to an interview, the Kokubunji City Board of Education commented, “We deeply regret this. We will confirm the details and take strict disciplinary action.”