One of Japana’s major book publishers, Futabasha Publishing, claims that a first print run of 10,000 copies of “Occupation, Thief; Annual income, Y30 million” has almost run out in the 10 days since publication.
Hajime Karasuyama – the pen name of the career burglar – claims to have developed the uncanny ability to guess just where the occupant of any home will have stashed the cash and valuables and provides tips on how to gain access to a locked property and then get away again without leaving any signs.
Karasuyama says he earns around $470,000 a year from burglary. The Japanese police are investigating.
However, in the meantime, Karasuyama who has a forensic history as a Japanese thief, and who describes himself as a gentleman cat burglar, has taken the book publishers by storm by become a best-selling author after writing a book giving tips on how to carry out burglaries.
“Once we get inside a house, us thieves have an instinct for knowing where the money is squirrelled away,” Karasuyama told the Shukan Taishu magazine in an interview about his book — which carries the warning “Please do not attempt to copy me” as its subtitle.
Karasuyama provides details on how to pick any lock and silently use a glass cutter on a window. In this exclusive book publisher edition, he reveals that placing a jeweller’s magnifying eyepiece against a door peephole reverses the view and enables him to look inside the house, while he recommends a hybrid car for going on “jobs” because they are very quiet.
The publisher dismissed suggestions putting out what amounts to a manual of how to become a burglar is irresponsible. “This book is not targeted at people who might want to be a burglar but more at homeowners who want to know how they can better protect their home,” Kenichi Nakazawa, the book’s editor, said.
