TBS Employee Steals Anime Figures and Gets Arrested

A TBS employee stole anime figures and was arrested by Tokyo police, drawing the attention of anime fans everywhere. The case took place inside TBS headquarters, one of Japan’s largest TV networks.

TBS Employee Steals Anime Figures and Gets Arrested

According to police, the suspect is Ryoji Hayashi, 35, an employee of TBS Sparkle, a production company under the TBS group. He is accused of stealing at least three anime figures and other collectible items between April and May this year.

Although Hayashi worked in a department unrelated to anime, security cameras caught him rummaging through boxes containing the products.

Investigators state that the TBS employee who stole anime figures took them to a shop in Akihabara—famous for Japanese pop culture—where he allegedly sold the merchandise. During questioning, he admitted, “There is no doubt I stole them.”

Hayashi also confessed to possibly committing similar thefts before. Police continue to investigate potential additional crimes.

TBS Sparkle’s Response

In an official statement, TBS Sparkle said: “It is deeply regrettable that one of our employees was arrested. We will investigate the facts and respond appropriately.”

Fans are now speculating which anime the stolen figures might be from. Considering TBS’s catalog, the top guesses are Gotoubun no Hanayome and Jujutsu Kaisen, both highly popular and full of merchandise.