Former J.League soccer player Takehito Shigehara has been arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a woman and stealing her purse in Tokyo in December, it was learned Monday.

According to the police, Shigehara, 28, groped the 19-year-old before stealing her purse at a parking lot in Shibuya Ward late one mid-December night. The purse contained tens of thousands of yen.

Shigehara was arrested Friday in Yamanashi Prefecture. He has denied committing the crimes, the police said. Shigehara played for several J.League teams, including Kashiwa Reysol and Ventforet Kofu.