The display will continue, but Takashimaya will strengthen its security (representative)
Tokyo, Japan:
Gold teacups worth more than 10 million yen ($65,000) were discovered stolen from a Japanese department store on Thursday after they were displayed in an unlocked box.
The tea cup, made of 24-carat solid gold, went missing from the Tokyo store of major department store chain Takashimaya, where the store was hosting an event showcasing a range of gold items for sale.
A Takashimaya spokesman told AFP the stolen teacup was one of the most expensive among more than 1,000 shiny tea sets, tableware and handicrafts on display.
“At the time it was kept in an unlocked clear box so it could be easily removed for customers to take a closer look,” the spokesperson said.
CCTV footage showed a man putting the cup into a bag and fleeing the scene, as police searched for the apparent culprit, local media reported.
The display will continue, but Takashimaya will step up security measures, a spokesman said.
A few months ago, Takashimaya officials were left red-faced by the $40 Christmas cake debacle last December.
Many strawberry cakes sold online that were supposed to be perfectly decorated were so damaged when delivered to customers that the company was forced to publicly apologize and promise compensation.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
