Man Allegedly Attacks Pop Star After Tracking Her Down Through Instagram Selfies

A man in Tokyo allegedly assaulted a pop star after tracking her down through her Instagram selfies, police say.

The 26-year-old, Hibiki Sato, reportedly told police he scoured the victim’s social media and was able to enlarge the photos and deduce the scenery reflected in her eyes using Google Street View. From there, he allegedly was able to pinpoint a specific train station the woman used to commute. 

Sato also informed police he studied the details of photos taken in her apartment to figure out where she lived, according to local news outlets. He was able to reportedly identify a bus stop near her home through one of her pictures.

On Sept. 1, he accosted her outside her building and allegedly sexually assaulted her, then fled, CBS News reported.

"People should be fully aware that posting pictures and video on social media runs the risk of divulging personal data," authorities told Japanese daily newspaper Sankei Shimbun. 

He reportedly admitted to police that he was a fan of the star. He has been charged with with injury caused by forcible indecency.

RELATED STORIES