TOKYO, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- A teen Japanese robber was given a prison term of four years and a half by the Tokyo District Court for robbing a luxury watch store in central Tokyo in May.
According to the prosecution, a group of adolescents wearing masks, which included the 18-year-old defendant, stormed into the store in central Tokyo's posh Ginza neighborhood and stole 74 watches on May 8.
The stolen goods were valued at about 2 million U.S. dollars, according to the court.
A judge told the court on Monday the heist was "a bold, dangerous and malicious crime," adding that crowbars were used to smash glass showcases in a busy area in broad daylight, the national broadcaster NHK reported.
Even though the defendant struck a settlement with the shop personnel and all of the stolen goods had been found, the judge noted that a prison sentence was still necessary despite the defendant's immaturity.
By threatening store employees with a knife, the defendant played a significant part in the crime, according to the judge.
Prosecutors had demanded seven years in prison.
With Monday's court ruling the first to be handed down for the case, two other teens are also accused of carrying out the robbery. ■
