Man posing as police arrested for phone theft in Bangkok
Serial fraudster exploits authority to target victims
A man impersonating a police officer was arrested for stealing a mobile phone, with a history of similar offences across various locations.
Today, July 17, Police Lieutenant General Siam Boonsom, together with Police Major General Noppasilp Phunsawat and other officials, apprehended 51 year old Wilai or Pang at a hotel on Lat Ya Road, Khlong San, Bangkok, seizing a mobile phone, 0.4 grammes of crystal methamphetamine, and a motorcycle.
The investigation began following a theft report on July 15, when officers at Samran Rat Police Station were informed about a mobile phone theft near the Tiger God Shrine parking area in Phra Nakhon, Bangkok.
The victim, a taxi driver, reported that an person posing as a police officer of the rank of police captain from Somdet Chao Phraya Police Station requested a ride to a market near Siriraj Hospital.
Upon arrival, the suspect borrowed 1,000 baht (US$30) and a mobile phone, claiming he needed to contact relatives, and requested to be dropped off at Phraeng Sapphasart Road behind the Tiger God Shrine. While the suspect was on the phone, he fled when the victim was momentarily distracted.
CCTV footage from the incident described the suspect and his escape route, revealing a modus operandi similar to previous records. Police tracked down Wilai, and the victim confirmed his identity as the thief.
Wilai confessed to committing theft on July 15 and July 16 by impersonating a police officer to borrow victims’ mobile phones before escaping. He rented a room in Khlong San until his arrest.
Further checks revealed Wilai’s history of similar crimes, including night-time theft and impersonating a police officer at Samran Rat Police Station, dating back to 2022. The motorcycle used by the suspect was reported stolen from Samsen Police Station on July 8.
The investigative team subsequently handed Wilai over to investigators at Samran Rat Police Station for legal proceedings, reported KhaoSod.
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