Police in Tokyo have arrested an unemployed 39-year-old man on suspicion of extortion after he threatened to beat up a smartphone user unless he paid money for “bumping” into him.
According to police, the incident occurred on Friday night in Sumida Park in Taito Ward. Police said that a 34-year-old company employee was walking along, looking at his smartphone, when the suspect, Makoto Takahashi, bumped into him, Sankei Shimbun reported.
Takahashi yelled at the man for not watching where he was going and for not apologizing. He then threatened to beat him up unless he was paid money.
The man ran to a nearby police box and reported what happened. Takahashi fled but was picked up by a police patrol a short time later.
He was quoted by police as saying he needed money to make ends meet because he had no regular job.
Police said that since February this year, there have been four similar cases reported in the same area, in which a man extorted money after bumping into people engrossed in their smartphones while walking. The victims paid a total of 235,000 yen.
Police are questioning Takahashi about his involvement in those cases.
Source: Japan Today Image: TBS News
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