Stolen Yamaha vanishes overnight
A workshop owner in Pattaya faced a nightmare on September 23. Mr. Bunsit Chinnawattraprapha, 30, was left reeling after a thief targeted his garage late at night.
The drama unfolded on Thepprasit Road around 11pm. A customer’s striking red-and-white Yamaha Fino, left parked for repairs—keys still in the ignition—simply disappeared from the street outside.
CCTV captures bold getaway
Mr. Bunsit quickly scanned security footage. ‘He just rode it away as if it was his,’ Mr. Bunsit said, describing the suspect: a tall man, seen casually taking off on the stolen bike.
With hope slipping away, friends and neighbours rallied, checking local cameras and spreading word of the theft around Jomtien.
Secret tip leads to shocking scene
The following morning, a call brought everything back into focus. A friend tipped off Mr. Bunsit: ‘There’s a suspicious motorbike parked deep in the woods along Soi Nongprue.’
Without hesitation, Mr. Bunsit rushed to the spot. There, hidden in the brush, lay his missing Yamaha—and something far more unbelievable.
Caught snoring by his own loot
Beside the bike, the alleged thief was sprawled out fast asleep. Mr. Bunsit couldn’t believe his eyes: the man matched the CCTV images perfectly and even held the motorcycle keys in his hand.
‘He looked so peaceful—like he’d never done anything wrong,’ Mr. Bunsit laughed, still in shock from the bizarre scene.
Police swoop in, arrest drowsy culprit
Pattaya City Police, led by Sub-Lt. Kriangkrai Kaewphiphop, soon arrived. Officers took the still-groggy suspect into custody without resistance, collecting the crucial evidence on-site.
Investigators immediately brought him to the police station for questioning. As for Mr. Bunsit, relief washed over him: his Yamaha was safe, undamaged, and back where it belonged.
Sleep or something else behind strange act?
Why would a thief risk everything by napping right next to his stolen prize? That’s now what police are eager to uncover.
Some suspect he was under the influence of drugs and simply crashed after the adrenaline wore off. Others say it might have been a reckless lack of caution from a careless crook.
One for the record books in Pattaya
Police are calling this one of the most unusual thefts Pattaya has seen this year. ‘It’s a case we won’t forget,’ one officer admitted.
But for the sleeping thief, there’s nothing amusing about the tough penalties he now faces in Thailand’s justice system.