Foiled gem robbery in Japan sparks demand by luxury stores for ancient ‘sasumata’ weapon
- A shop worker in Tokyo fended off two would-be robbers using a modern version of the ‘sasumata’, a spear fork weapon that dates back to the 1300s
- The company that makes the modern-day sasumata has been flooded with inquiries, as Tokyo sees an alarming increase in the number of smash-and-grab robberies
A Japanese weapon that dates back to the 1300s is being snapped up by the owners of high-end jewellery shops and fashion boutiques to fend off robbers, after a video emerged of a “sasumata” being put to its intended use on Sunday.
The viral footage, taken by a passer-by and broadcast by TV Asahi, starts with the sound of breaking glass and a woman’s screams at around 6.45pm on Sunday.
Two of the men wearing crash helmets in the video had reportedly entered a jewellery shop in Tokyo’s Ueno district and started smashing the glass display counters with what appeared to be metal bars.
In the video, the two men are seen suddenly emerging from the shop, bumping into a third member of the gang, while being pursued by an employee of the shop wielding a modern-day version of a sasumata, which means “spear fork”. Traditionally consisting of a metal semicircle attached to the end of a long pole, the non-lethal weapon was linked to the samurai class and in more recent history was used by police to pin down suspects by their limbs or even necks.
The clip shows the three robbers evading the attacks from the employee, who then turns his attention to the criminals’ getaway vehicle, a moped, striking it and toppling it over.
Deprived of their escape method, the three men flee down a side street, pursued by the shop worker. TV Asahi reported that the criminals were not able to steal anything from the store and no one was injured in the melee.
The company that makes the modern-day version of the weapon seen in the video says it has been busy fielding calls from potential customers after the clip of the foiled robbery went viral.
