On October 10, an 31-year-old suspect took hostages at a post office in Warabi City, Saitama Prefecture, and the suspect explained that the liquid in the plastic bottles and containers seized from the post office was gasoline. Police are investigating the possibility that the suspect may have intended to set the fire on fire.
Suspect Tsuneo Suzuki (86), a resident of Toda City, Saitama Prefecture, was arrested on suspicion of violating the Hostage Extortion Punishment Act for holding female employees in their 10s and 31s hostage at a post office in Warabi City, Saitama Prefecture, for about eight hours on October 8 with a handgun.
The two hostages were not injured.
According to police, he admitted to the charges upon investigation.
According to the investigation so far, an 20-liter container containing liquid and two plastic bottles were found at
the post office, but in the subsequent investigation
, a 30-liter container containing liquid and
several lighters were seized.
According to investigators, the suspect described the liquids as gasoline.
Prior to the break-in, his apartment burned down, and he said he was "arson" about the fire.
Police are investigating the possibility that the suspect may have been aiming to set fire to the post office where he was holed up.