Man arrested for thefts worth 300,000 baht in Samut Prakan
Valuables vanish under cover of compassion leaving residents unsettled
A 45 year old man from Nakhon Pathom was detained by police for allegedly engaging in a string of thefts in Samut Prakan. The suspect, Sombat also known as Toh, is accused of breaking into rooms under the guise of feeding stray cats and stealing valuables worth over 300,000 baht.
Police Colonel Yodrak Kittilappanarath, deputy superintendent of the Mueang Samut Prakan Police Station, led the arrest yesterday, May 20. The suspect was apprehended in the motorcycle parking area of the Bon Kai Community Housing in Pathum Wan district, where a Yamaha Grand Filano motorcycle without a licence plate, 47,000 baht (US$1,430) in cash, and various tools were seized.
The case began when a victim reported a burglary on May 8 in Soi Ruam Pattana 9, Mueang district, Samut Prakan. The thief reportedly stole valuables, including 2,500 baht from a piggy bank.
CCTV footage captured a blue Yamaha Grand Filano motorcycle at the crime scene. Investigations revealed the motorcycle had a fake licence plate, prompting closer surveillance.
Police discovered the suspect’s transient lifestyle, often changing hideouts, akin to a drifter. Further investigation revealed the suspect parked the motorcycle used in the crime at Bon Kai Community Housing.
Police maintained surveillance until 7am, when the suspect approached the vehicle, preparing to commit another offence, leading to his arrest.
Upon searching the suspect’s bag, police found burglary tools and a significant amount of cash. Some of the stolen money, which the suspect allegedly transferred to a karaoke hostess, was recovered.
The suspect confessed to having been released from prison last year for a similar theft in the Bang Bon area. After losing his job as a security guard, he resumed theft, using a motorcycle to scout dormitories while pretending to feed stray cats.
This ruse reduced suspicion, allowing him to break into rooms, change licence plates, and evade capture by hiding under bridges or in community housing.
The suspect claimed to have committed only two thefts, but police remain sceptical due to evidence linking him to multiple thefts across Bangkok and nearby areas, reported KhaoSod.
He faces charges of theft in a dwelling by damaging barriers intended to protect a person or property, using a vehicle to facilitate the crime or escape capture. Further legal proceedings are underway.
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