NEW TONIGHT, A PRECIOUS FAMILY HEIRLOOM STOLEN OVER THE WEEKEND. SURVEILLANCE VIDEO SHOWS THE MOMENT A SUSPECTED BURGLAR APPEARS TO THROW SOMETHING AT THE DOOR OF A KARATE SCHOOL IN EAST SACRAMENTO, SACRAMENTO. POLICE RESPONDED TO JAY AND 48TH STREET AROUND NINE SATURDAY MORNING. THE OWNER OF ZEN MARTIAL ARTS SAYS THE THIEVES TOOK A JAPANESE SWORD THAT DATES BACK TO THE 1600S. AS KCRA 3’S CECIL HANNIBAL TELLS US, IT’S NOT ABOUT THE MONETARY VALUE OF THE SWORD, IT’S WHAT THE ITEM MEANS TO ONE OF HIS STUDENTS. AT ZEN MARTIAL ARTS. I JUST MOVE OVER HERE. KARATE ISN’T JUST ABOUT SELF-DEFENSE. STEP BEHIND. IT’S ABOUT HONORING JAPANESE CULTURE AND HISTORY. THE FOUNDER OF KARATE TAUGHT AMERICANS THAT WERE STATIONED IN OKINAWA AFTER WORLD WAR TWO, WHICH IS PRETTY CONTROVERSIAL TO TEACH FOREIGNERS THAT YOU JUST HAD A CONFLICT WITH. RIGHT? SWITCH YOUR GRIP. LEO SENSEI, MIKE OLIVER. TEACHING ISN’T A JOB. I’M SO BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO DO WHAT I LOVE EVERY DAY. IT DOESN’T EVER FEEL LIKE WORK, HE SAYS. IT’S HIS CALLING TO HELP HIS STUDENTS OVERCOME LIFE’S OBSTACLES. I’VE BEEN ABLE TO TO GET THROUGH CHALLENGING TIMES. ALL HUGE BENEFITS IN MARTIAL ARTS TRAINING. BUT FOR THIS DOJO, THE CAMERA AND MULTIPLE ROOMS, WE HAVE A MOTION DETECTOR AND KEYPAD ALARM SYSTEM. CHALLENGING TIMES ARE HERE. A BREAK IN EARLY SATURDAY MORNING LEFT THEM SHOCKED. IT’S A CASHLESS BUSINESS, MOSTLY MATS AND OPEN SPACE. BUT THERE WAS THIS FAMILY HEIRLOOM THAT BELONGED TO ONE OF HIS STUDENTS. AND NOW IT’S GONE. WHAT WOULD IT MEAN TO YOU TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT SWORD BACK? I TOLD A FEW CLOSE PEOPLE THAT I HAD A BIT OF SHAME WHEN IT FIRST HAPPENED, BECAUSE IT’S THAT FEELING THAT IT WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY. THE GEORGE FAMILY, WHO OWNS THE SWORD, TELLS KCRA 3 IT WAS PASSED DOWN FROM THEIR ANCESTOR, SATOSHI IENAGA. THE PLAN WAS TO PRESENT IT TO THEIR SON ONCE HE BECAME A BLACK BELT. WE’RE TRYING EVERYTHING. WE’RE CONTACTED ACROSS PAWNSHOPS, ANTIQUE DEALERS, SWORD GROUPS, ANYWHERE WHERE I MIGHT TURN UP. I GO BACK NOW. MY ELBOW. NOW THAT DREAM IS ON HOLD. AS A SENSEI, HIS DOJO AND ONE FAMILY PLEADS FOR THE PUBLIC’S HELP IN BRINGING THIS SWORD BACK WHERE IT BELONGS. YES. ANY SACRAMENTO, CECIL. HANNIBAL. KCRA. 3 NEWS. OLIVER SAYS OFFICER
East Sacramento karate school pleads for help after theft of priceless family heirloom
A break-in at Zen Martial Arts in East Sacramento resulted in the theft of a valuable Japanese sword dating back to the 1600s
Updated: 9:26 PM PDT Mar 30, 2026
Zen Martial Arts in East Sacramento was broken into over the weekend, resulting in the theft of a valuable Japanese sword and family heirloom.Sacramento police responded to 48th and J streets around 9 a.m. Saturday morning. The sword is an heirloom of the George family, whose son has been a student at the dojo for years. The item, which dates back to the 1600s, was passed down from his great-grandfather, Chitoshi Yanaga, who was one of the first Asian Americans to receive tenure at an Ivy League school and helped the U.S. intercept messages from Japan during World War II. Yanaga bought the sword in Japan at an antique shop in a subway station in the 1950s.The family said the plan was for Sensei Mike Oliver to present the sword to their son once he becomes a black belt.The dojo has a security system, but it didn’t capture the suspect’s face. Mike Oliver, the owner, said he didn’t get any notifications from the system until police were already at the scene. He’s now pleading with the public to find the person responsible, saying, “We’re trying everything we’ve contacted, of course, pawn shops, antique dealers, sword groups, anywhere where it might turn up, ” said Mike Oliver.The sword is appraised to be worth $4,000 to $6,000, but the George family emphasized that it’s not about the money, saying it’s about what the sword means to their family.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Zen Martial Arts in East Sacramento was broken into over the weekend, resulting in the theft of a valuable Japanese sword and family heirloom.
Sacramento police responded to 48th and J streets around 9 a.m. Saturday morning.
The sword is an heirloom of the George family, whose son has been a student at the dojo for years.
The item, which dates back to the 1600s, was passed down from his great-grandfather, Chitoshi Yanaga, who was one of the first Asian Americans to receive tenure at an Ivy League school and helped the U.S. intercept messages from Japan during World War II. Yanaga bought the sword in Japan at an antique shop in a subway station in the 1950s.
Hearst Owned
Chitoshi Yanaga
The family said the plan was for Sensei Mike Oliver to present the sword to their son once he becomes a black belt.
The dojo has a security system, but it didn’t capture the suspect’s face. Mike Oliver, the owner, said he didn’t get any notifications from the system until police were already at the scene.
He’s now pleading with the public to find the person responsible, saying, “We’re trying everything we’ve contacted, of course, pawn shops, antique dealers, sword groups, anywhere where it might turn up, ” said Mike Oliver.
Hearst Owned
Ike George and Mike Oliver
The sword is appraised to be worth $4,000 to $6,000, but the George family emphasized that it’s not about the money, saying it’s about what the sword means to their family.