How a former Power Rangers star used his skills to rob 43 homes as the ‘Spider-Man thief'

Dubai: The skills we learn for our careers are meant to help us succeed in life. But sometimes, those same abilities can be misused in ways no one ever intended.

This unsettling reality came into focus with the story of Yasutomo Ihara, a Japanese stuntman who helped bring the iconic Green Ranger to life. His case was revealed by Screen Rant and talks about how specialised training can carry over into unexpected and illegal real-world situations.

The man behind the mask

Power Rangers is a popular and nostalgic show from our childhood but most fans don't know that the epic battle sequences they loved weren't filmed in California with the American cast. Instead, those action-packed scenes came from Japan's Super Sentai series.

Japanese stunt performers like Ihara wore the full suits and executed the thrilling acrobatics and fight choreography. Their work was then seamlessly stitched together with dialogue scenes filmed by American actors.

Ihara was one of these essential performers. His athletic ability and precise movements helped create the memorable action sequences that defined a generation's childhood.

When everything fell apart

In 2009, a knee injury ended Ihara's stunt career. He struggled to find stable income. The entertainment industry had no place for an injured stunt performer.

Ihara then faced mounting financial pressure with no clear path forward.

Desperate to return to the entertainment world, he came up with a plan to fund a drama school. But his method was far from legal.

The Spider-Man thief

Between late 2013 and 2014, Ihara committed a series of burglaries across Saitama Prefecture in Japan. He targeted at least 43 homes before authorities finally caught him in 2014, according to the Mary Sue.

His approach to crime was chillingly efficient. The same physical abilities that made him a standout stunt performer became tools for breaking and entering.

Ihara scaled walls, climbed poles, and accessed upper-floor balconies with ease. His training allowed him to reach entry points that ordinary thieves couldn't access. Japanese media dubbed him the "Spider-Man Thief."

He confessed to stealing goods valued at roughly 8.2 million yen, about $77,000 at the time. In 2020, he was sentenced to five years in prison.

Areeba Hashmi is a trainee at Gulf News.