Vietnamese Man, 20, Arrested Over Impersonation Scheme Linked to Theft Ring That Stole Roughly ¥900 Million in Smartphones
This article organizes publicly available information into a single account. Where it describes an arrest or an ongoing investigation, that reflects only one stage of criminal procedure and does not mean guilt has been established (the presumption of innocence applies). We will update this article as new information becomes available, including the outcome of prosecution, non-prosecution, or trial. This article is not intended to unfairly disparage any individual, group, nationality, ethnicity, or belief, and aims to provide objective, fact-based information.
Aichi Prefectural Police headquarters announced by July 30, 2026, that it had arrested Tran Van Hung (20, a resident of Hyogo Prefecture), a Vietnamese national, on suspicion of theft. He is accused of impersonating a contract holder on a mobile phone online shop in November 2024 to change the account address and complete a purchase, thereby stealing two smartphones worth a combined ¥340,000.
According to police, four people believed to have served as receivers of the stolen devices have already been arrested, and Tran is believed to have been responsible for giving instructions and paying rewards. The group is believed to have stolen at least ¥900 million worth of smartphones using similar methods, and police are working to uncover the full extent of the organization.
Current status: Whether the case will be referred for prosecution and the full extent of the organization's chain of command remain unclear as of this writing. This article will be updated as further details emerge.
Other organized theft cases involving Vietnamese nationals have included a theft ring accused of causing damage totaling roughly ¥47.8 million across 111 incidents in five Kanto prefectures (related coverage), and a shoplifting group whose ringleader—based overseas—has yet to be apprehended (related coverage). Such cases repeatedly reveal organized crime patterns with clearly divided roles.