Inside job?: Buddhist statues and related items, all believed stolen by a former temple priest, are displayed Wednesday at the Nakayoshino Police Station in Nara Prefecture. KYODO PHOTO
Sep 2 04:40 AM US/Eastern
NARA, Japan, Sept. 2 (AP) - (Kyodo)—A former Buddhist priest at a temple in Nara Prefecture was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of stealing Buddhist statues from another temple in the western Japan prefecture, police said.
Kiyotaka Kanafuri, 62, who lives in the ancient Japanese capital, has admitted to allegations that he stole four statues dating from the Edo period (1603-1867) from Jisaku Temple in the village of Yamazoe between June 28 and July 1.
The Nara prefectural police are investigating Kanafuri's possible involvement in other suspected thefts in which a total of 11 statues were stolen from temples and shrines in the prefecture this year.
A Kyoto antiques dealer said he bought the four statues for more than 100,000 yen and has provided police with over 20 statues purchased from Kanafuri.
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