#Thieves sneak in, carry out heist at Japanese ninja museum

A museum in Japan dedicated to the famed Iga clan of ninja was raided by thieves on Monday, who snuck in and stole more than 1 million yen ($9,400) from a heavy safe, before vanishing undetected, according to multiple reports.

Employees at the Iga-ryu Ninja Museum, located in the central prefecture of Mie, called authorities after the building’s alarm sounded around 1:30 am local time, but not before the thieves already made their getaway.

In a showcase of ninja-like stealth, the bandits are said to have forced open an office door with a crowbar, removed the safe and exited the museum in a span of just a few minutes, local media reported, according to the Guardian.

Officers arrived to find the 330lb safe missing, which contained the admission fees for around 1,100 people collected over the last weekend, the museum said.

Police believed the suspects waited until museum staff left at 5:30 pm before conducting the heist.

The popular tourist attraction has visuals and displays that allow visitors to learn about the weaponry and techniques employed by ninja, as well as, watch ninja shows.

There are over 400 ninja tools on display, including “shuriken,” also known as throwing stars. People who visit the museum can try some of the tools for themselves.

“Visitors can watch Iga ninja stealthily infiltrate Ueno Castle,” the museum’s website says. “On the video screen in the Mini Theater, one can watch to see how they infiltrated undetected by anyone and escaped as well.”

The ninja were seen as covert agents of feudal Japan, who relied on espionage and strategy.