A thief broke into a discount ticket shop in central Tokyo and got away with a handful of US 100 dollar bills. Police suspect the greenback was targeted due to its surging value against the yen.

The store near Shinjuku Station reported the theft to the police around at 7 p.m. on Thursday.

Police say someone broke in through a partially closed shutter and hammered a glass showcase. They say the thief stole a hundred US 100 dollar bills and some euro notes.

Two female employees were working in the inner part of the store to close up for the day when the theft occurred.

They told police they heard the sound of glass breaking and went to check the showcase, but the money was already gone.

The store exchanges currency, in addition to trading coupons and tickets.

When the incident took place, foot traffic was reportedly heavy as the shop is located close to Shinjuku Station, a quite busy terminal in the capital.

Investigators say the thief covered the shop's shutter with a blue tarpaulin to avoid being seen, but that a security camera partially captured the person's actions.