Man sneaks into female colleague’s home 20 times after copying her key in bid for attention

A Tokyo man was arrested after repeatedly breaking into his colleague’s home by duplicating her house key in an obsessive attempt to get her attention.

A bizarre case from Tokyo has left many shocked after a man broke into his colleague’s apartment at least 20 times, all in a disturbing attempt to get her attention, according to a report by the South China Morning Post.

The accused, identified as 27-year-old Yuki Murai, worked as an office employee in Tokyo. (Pexel)

The accused, identified as 27-year-old Yuki Murai, worked as an office employee in Tokyo. Known for being quiet and reserved with few friends at work, Murai reportedly became fixated on a new administrative assistant who had recently joined his company.

The woman quickly gained popularity among staff for her sweet appearance and soft-spoken nature. After a company dinner, Murai began messaging her frequently, asking about her lunch, her favourite animals, and other personal topics. Although she initially replied out of politeness, she eventually stopped responding altogether.

Murai later confessed to the police, saying, “I felt like she was toying with me, maybe even deliberately ignoring me.”

His obsession took a dark turn one evening when he secretly searched through the woman’s bag at work while she was away from her desk. He photographed her house key, noted the brand details and key number, and contacted an online key duplication service to get a copy made. The shop, which promotes itself as “highly skilled,” reportedly does not question customers about the reasons for duplicating keys.

Murai began observing the woman’s daily schedule and discovered she often went jogging in the evenings. Taking advantage of this, he first entered her home on a weekend night, roaming through her bedroom, living area, and bathroom. Over the following months, he trespassed at least 20 more times, taking over 300 photographs of her belongings, including clothes, water droplets on the bathroom mirror, and other personal spaces.

He also stole her clothing as “souvenirs” during these intrusions. The woman became suspicious when she noticed that her clothes were out of place and found unfamiliar footprints on the floor. Concerned for her safety, she contacted the police and installed hidden cameras inside her home.

Her fears were confirmed when officers caught Murai inside her apartment during one of his break-ins. According to reports from The Asahi Shimbun, Murai was found stealing six items during his final visit, including clothes, bags, and a surveillance camera worth around 15,000 yen (approximately 100 US dollars).

Murai told the police, “I just wanted her to feel my presence. She never replied to my messages.”

On June 17, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police arrested him on charges of trespassing and theft.

The incident has sparked outrage on Japanese social media. One user wrote, “This is terrifying. The devil might be right beside you. People who seem normal can have the darkest obsessions.”

Another demanded stricter rules on key duplication, saying, “The Japanese government should tighten regulations on key duplication services. One small oversight can pose a huge risk to society.”