Police in Japan have served fresh arrest warrants for two Vietnamese men on suspicion of stealing a large quantity of peaches from farms in Yamanashi Prefecture, west of Tokyo.

The 40- and 25-year-old Vietnamese men are accused of stealing about 600 peaches ready for harvest in mid-July.

They were already arrested in August and charged with theft of large amounts of pears in Ibaraki and Saitama prefectures, also near Tokyo.

Investigators say they found messages left on seized smartphones that were exchanged between the two men and other Vietnamese residents in Japan over sale and purchase of the peaches.

The investigators also found package slips and cardboard boxes in their apartment. They are suspected of selling the fruits on social media and by other means.

Police say the 25-year-old suspect admitted to the charges, while the 40-year-old suspect denied the charges.

A series of peach thefts have occurred since June in Yamanashi Prefecture.