Tour de theft: Israeli’s bike swiped in Bangkok, found on Facebook
A cheeky thief tried to cash in on a stolen bike belonging to an Israeli tourist by flogging it on Facebook but got caught peddling his crime to an undercover cop.
Bangkok police nabbed the suspect who allegedly nicked a pricey bike from a visiting tourist in Yaowarat, Chinatown’s bustling food and shopping district, before listing it online for a quick buck.
The drama began when Erez, an Israeli tourist, filed a complaint with Chakkrawat police in the early hours of April 20.
The 54 year old Israeli told officers he’d locked up his black TREK FX3 bicycle on Songwat Road around 6pm on April 19 to explore Chinatown. But when he returned around 2am, the bike, worth thousands, had vanished, the lock cut clean through.
Investigators got a break when Erez spotted what looked like his bike being sold on Facebook for 7,000 baht. The profile belonged to a user named Sompoth, reported KhaoSod English.
Officers quickly set up a sting, posing as interested buyers. Sompoth took the bait and agreed to meet at Bang Sai Kai 2 Alley in Bangkok’s Thonburi district on April 23, where he was promptly arrested red-handed with the stolen TREK bike and a GIRO helmet in tow.
During questioning, the 45 year old Sompoth claimed he wasn’t the thief, saying he’d bought the bike for 5,000 baht from a man named Anant, also known as Man, who was allegedly flogging it from a rental room on Itsaraphap Soi 29. He admitted trying to turn a quick 2,000 baht profit but denied knowing it was stolen.
Police weren’t convinced. He’s now facing a raft of charges including theft with property damage, colluding with others, and receiving stolen goods. Officers are currently hunting for Anant to bring him in on similar charges.
As for Erez, police say he’ll be reunited with his beloved two-wheeler soon, hopefully with fewer detours next time.
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