November 26th, 1984
On November 26th 1984 a letter arrived in the mail for Takeshi Yoshino, Hyogo Prefectures Police Chief Director in Japan.
The letter was from The Monster With 21 Faces: a criminal gang which had been targeting Japanese food companies with extortion letters as well as committing attempted murder, arson and kidnapping all which began earlier that year on March 18th.
Information on this case, also known as "Glico-Morinaga", was pretty scarce in English until now. A website www.TheMonsterWith21Faces.com is detailing the events of the case including over 50 letters from the criminal gang sent to various Japanese food makers, stores, police and newspapers.
The sender on the envelope on November 26th 1984 was listed as "Detective Counselor Monster With 21 Faces".
It was postmarked in Muko, Kyoto the day prior between 8 am and noon. A 60 yen stamp was affixed. It read:
“To Yoshino of Hyogo police department
You saw our challenge right? What I am telling you is for your own good. Stop door to door investigations and more policemen on the streets on weekends. It’s pointless.
There’s no point in investigating objects left behind. We won’t be found by objects. You understand this by now right? You have to catch us in the act.
On 14th of July you were pitiful. What on earth was that investigation? You really didn’t improve in the last 10 years.
You got a little better since Marudai and Moriguchi though. But you won’t catch us like that. Media won’t stay silent forever. They are getting annoyed.
We are training you police by pretending we got fooled. Be thankful. We love police the most. Masuda and Yoshino who graduated at Tokyo University cannot catch us.
If you don’t change executives to people with more experience you will never catch us. We helped you so much so far. You can’t face House because you are ashamed. We won’t send this letter to the media. One more favor from us.
Monster with 21 faces”
The last letter sent by The Monster With 21 Faces was received on August 12th 1985, days after the August 7th suicide of Shoji Yamamoto head of Shiga Prefectural Police.
It was suspected Yamamoto commited suicide in part due to shame for his subbordinate officers actions when on November 14th 1984, a suspicious man in a stolen station wagon and 2 other suspects on bicycles escaped capture.
Yamamoto had previously apologized on television for his perceived failures.
The Monster With 21 Faces was never caught and their crimes have reached the statute of limitations in Japan. They also never collected any of the ransom demands they made.
In their crime spree lasting from March 18th 1984 to August 12th 1985 they committed Attempted Murder, Kidnapping for Ransom, Burglary Injury, Non-Residential Building Arson, Attempted Extortion and many Postal Law Violations.
More information on the case and a visual archive is being released currently and can be found on this website www.TheMonsterWith21Faces.com if you are interested.
犬警の よしの え
わしらの ちょうせんじょう みたな
わるいこと ゆわへん ローラー 週まつ やめとき むだや
いりゅう品 そうさも むだや
わしら ブツ から アシつく よおな じゅんび せえへん
いままでで わかるやろ 現行犯しか ないで
せやけど 11月14日は なさけなかったで
おまえらの そうさ あれ なにゃ 10年まえから しんぽ してへん
丸大や 守口の ときより ちょっと はよなったけど あれやったら
わしら つかまえらへんで
マスコミも いつまでも だまってへん いらいらして まっとるやろ
わしら だまされた ふりして けいさつの くんれん しとるんや
感しゃ してや
わしらが 1ばん けいさつ すきなんや
東大 での 増田や よしの では わしら つかまえたり できへん
かんぶに ねんきの はいった デカ たんと つかわんと
わしらの うごき わからへんで
いままでも わしら けいさつに 協力してきた
ハウスに かおたたんやろ
この手紙 マスコミに ださへん また 1つ かしや
かい人21面相