The two suspects who allegedly robbed an exchange shop in the town of Chatan, Okinawa Prefecture, and fled with about 6.9 million yen cash admitted the charge during questioning by the Okinawa police on a voluntarily basis, the Okinawa Times learned from sources on May 19. The two suspects, a U.S. Army serviceman and a U.S. civilian base worker, were detained by the U.S. military. According to the sources, the two suspects have also confessed their crime to the U.S. forces authorities.

On May 18, the Okinawa police took one of the suspects to the crime scene in a police vehicle for an on-the-spot investigation of the site of the robbery that was carried out on May 12.

It was also learned that U.S. security forces had searched the suspects’ homes on the Kadena base and confiscated the clothes worn by the suspects at the time of the crime.

The two suspects are currently in the custody of the U.S. military and the Okinawa police are questioning them on a voluntary basis. Once the Japanese police substantiate the allegation, it will likely refer the case to the public prosecutor’s office. The suspects will be handed over to the custody of Japanese authorities after indictment.