A 41-year-old man from Nagoya was arrested Monday on suspicion of stealing two turtles worth 70,000 yen apiece from a pet store last August, local police said.
Shinji Kawagishi allegedly plucked the two snapping turtles from a tank in the shop in Nagoya's Meito Ward on the afternoon of Aug. 15.
The animals were found in a water tank in Kawagishi's home and returned to the shop. They had grown by about 2 cm during this time, according to police.
The man has owned up to the theft, saying he had been fond of turtles ever since he was a boy.
The store's security camera showed a man pocketing the turtles. Meanwhile, Kawagishi continued to frequent the store. Believing he may have been the suspect shown on the security film, shop staff noted the license plate number on his car and alerted police.