Three Vietnamese Men Arrested Over Vacant-Home Break-Ins Using 'Fire-Breaking' Method; Overstayed After Leaving Technical Intern Jobs
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.
The Metropolitan Police Department announced by August 19, 2026 that it had arrested three Vietnamese nationals on suspicion of trespassing and theft. According to reports by Jiji Press and the Nikkei, the three are accused of breaking into vacant homes in Tokyo and Saitama Prefecture using a technique known as "yaki-yaburi" — heating window glass with fire to break it — and stealing cash and other property. All three reportedly came to Japan as technical trainees, later left their jobs, and had been residing in the country illegally.
The suspects are said to have scouted properties in advance, targeting "homes with unkempt gardens," and have admitted to the allegations, reportedly telling investigators they had committed "around twenty-some" such break-ins. According to the Metropolitan Police Department, reported thefts from vacant detached homes in Tokyo rose to 246 cases in 2025, roughly five times the 50 cases recorded in 2021, with 117 crackdown cases already logged between January and July 2026 alone, far surpassing the 15 cases in the same period the previous year.
Current status: The circumstances of the men's entry into Japan, how they came to overstay, and the full extent of any additional offenses remain unclear as of this writing. This article will be updated as further details emerge.
Similar vacant-home burglary cases involving Vietnamese nationals have been reported elsewhere, including one in which two technical trainees were referred to prosecutors over break-ins at roughly 30 properties in Miyoshi, Hiroshima Prefecture (related coverage), and a case in Minami-Aizu, Fukushima Prefecture (related coverage).
Editorial Perspective
No decision on indictment has been made at this stage, so this article reflects information from the investigative phase. An arrest is only one step in criminal procedure and does not establish guilt (the presumption of innocence). According to National Police Agency and Ministry of Justice statistics, the number of Penal Code cases involving foreign nationals visiting Japan has risen for two consecutive years since 2023, but remains below its mid-2000s peak (related article). A single case does not necessarily reflect the broader statistical trend; further developments are worth watching.