KAKOGAWA, Hyogo -- A man posing as a member of a neighborhood association in the area where an elementary school girl was fatally stabbed has swindled a woman in the area out of 500 yen under the pretext of condolence money for the victim, police said.

The 51-year-old woman living in the Befu district of Kakogawa -- where 7-year-old Yuzuki Unose was fatally stabbed -- has reported the incident to police.

Suspecting the man took advantage of the murder to commit the crime, local police have warned local residents not to hand over money to any unidentified person.

At about 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, a man told the victim through the intercom at her home that he was a member of the local neighborhood association, and asked for 500 yen as condolence money for Yuzuki's bereaved family. "The association will give condolence money to the victim's bereaved family. May I ask you for 500 yen as a donation?" he was quoted as telling the woman.

She complied and handed a 1,000-yen note to him. The man gave her 500-yen change and a receipt for the donation bearing the name of a man living nearby before walking away.

Rumors about a donation-collection campaign spread among local residents. However, as the neighborhood association has not launched such a campaign, an 80-year-old high-ranking member consulted local police.

A man whose name was written on the receipt lives in the area, but police have confirmed that he is not the swindler.

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