Blanket coverage: Cops nab fugitive napping in the rain
A drug suspect who had been on the run was finally apprehended while sleeping under a blanket in a local pavilion, amidst cool, rainy weather. Startled by the police, he awoke in shock. Police had been pursuing him for a year.
Yesterday, December 17, officers from the 434th Border Patrol Police Company in Phatthalung, led by Yotaphon Rungsawat, successfully arrested Bilan, a 25 year old suspect under a warrant from Phatthalung Provincial Court.
The court had previously issued a warrant for his arrest due to his failure to comply with probation conditions related to drug charges involving methamphetamine possession and use.
Additionally, Bilan had not reported to the court as required, making him a fugitive, thus prompting the court to issue an arrest warrant.
Bilan was found sleeping deeply, wrapped in a blanket, on the floor of a multipurpose pavilion in Moo 3, Mae Khri subdistrict, Tamot district, Phatthalung province. Officers had to wake him up to make the arrest.
Upon awakening, Bilan appeared confused and disoriented, still in a sleepy daze due to the comfortable, cool weather and persistent drizzle.
Police presented him with the arrest warrant, which he acknowledged, though he remained visibly bewildered. Before being taken into custody, Bilan requested to tidy up his sleeping area, folding his mat, blanket, and pillow, hoping he might return to sleep there again.
“I didn’t expect the rain to bring officers to arrest me.”
Bilan added that he had unintentionally slept longer than usual because of the soothing weather.
Police had been searching for Bilan for over a year following the issuance of the warrant by the Phatthalung Provincial Court. Their efforts were hampered as he was known to be elusive, only leaving his house at night while hiding during the day.
Recently, police received information that Bilan often slept at the village’s multipurpose building. Acting on this tip, they searched and found him exactly as described, sleeping soundly, covered with a blanket, reported KhaoSod.
The officers’ efforts culminated in the successful capture of Bilan, who was then escorted to the Phatthalung Provincial Court to face legal proceedings according to the law.
