A teenager in police custody over the posting of online videos showing him tampering with food on store shelves apparently had plans to remain on the loose until March, investigative sources said.
The 19-year-old boy from Mitaka, western Tokyo, had a memo showing the breakdown of expenses necessary to remain at large, including food and transportation expenses, "from mid-January to March 2."
Police believe the youth, whose name has been withheld because he is a minor, planned to remain on a long journey while posting online videos showing his food tampering.
According to the sources, he has told investigators that he "wanted to become a hero" and "didn't shoplift because I didn't want to get arrested."
He has reportedly said he faked the video clips that show him shoplifting.
Of the 80 videos he posted on the Internet starting in mid-December, 26 appeared to show thefts. The police are examining whether the boy had indeed faked them.
The suspect was arrested Sunday in Shiga Prefecture on trespassing charges. He is suspected of entering a convenience store in Musashino, western Tokyo, at around 7 p.m. Jan. 5 for the purposes of shooting an illicit video.