NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Thailand – Two men have been arrested in the northeastern province for allegedly belonging to a motorcycle theft gang that preyed on intoxicated victims.
Festnahme im Bezirk Wang Nam Khieo
Police from Pho Klang Station and provincial authorities apprehended two suspects on June 13. The individuals, identified as Nopparat Khopmuangpak, 30, and Wichitchai Phonkhoraburi, 25, were taken into custody at their respective residences. Authorities seized a pickup truck believed to have been used in the thefts. They also confiscated a range of burglary tools and numerous dismantled motorcycle parts. The Pho Klang Station is leading the investigation.
The gang operated with significant audacity. They would offer a ride home to an inebriated motorcyclist, only to steal the vehicle once the victim was safely inside. Police suspect these two men are part of a much larger theft network. It is believed the stolen motorcycles were then smuggled across the border into Cambodia for resale.
Videoaufnahmen zeigen die Masche
On June 18, police released surveillance footage captured on February 27, detailing one of the gang’s methods. The victim, a school teacher, was observed leaving a restaurant visibly intoxicated around 2:25 AM. He fell off his motorcycle near Mittraphap Soi 13 and received assistance from passersby and emergency responders.
Shortly after, he accepted a ride offer from a man in a pickup truck. His motorcycle was reported missing soon after. Investigations revealed that the same pickup truck, notably without license plates, had been circling the area prior to the incident and was utilized in the theft. The thieves struck seconds after the teacher entered the vehicle and made off with his abandoned motorcycle.
Polizei will weiteren Drahtziehern auf die Spur kommen
Investigators believe the gang is responsible for a series of thefts. The current arrests are not the conclusion of the police operations. Authorities have pledged to broaden their investigation and secure additional arrest warrants. The primary objective is to apprehend the masterminds behind the smuggling operation. The provincial police are committed to dismantling the entire network.