An All Nippon Airways pilot was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of stealing jumbo jet flight operation manuals that were later sold to the general public by an aircraft goods dealer via the Internet, police said.
Capt. Kosuke Yasue, 42, of Yokohama took the six manuals, including one for B747-400s, from a study room used by ANA crew members at Haneda airport in late January.
Yasue allegedly sold the manuals and other items, including a copilot uniform, to Nobuyoshi Mikami, 21, an employee of an aircraft goods shop, for 500,000 yen between January and May.
Police said Mikami sold the items via the Internet in July.
Mikami was arrested Aug. 15 on suspicion of fencing the items while in full knowledge they were stolen.
Yasue reportedly said he stole the manuals to sell them to pay off several million yen in debt.
Yasue joined ANA in 1984. He was flying Boeing 767s at the time and had been training for Boeing 777s.