5 kids aged between 8 and 17 arrested for house theft and drug party
Police arrested five kids aged between 8 and 17 for breaking into a house, holding a drug party inside, and stealing valuables in the Isaan province of Udon Thani.
The homeowner, 42 year old Wuttinan, filed a complaint with Mueang Udon Thani Police Station officers on January 15 after returning home to find his home had been ransacked and several items damaged or stolen. The total loss was over 100,000 baht.
Wuttinan stated that he and his wife had been away from home for about two weeks. When they returned, they found the back door damaged and his belongings on the first and second floors of the house scattered all over the floor. Their laptop was broken, and their wedding photo was damaged.
A motorcycle, a bicycle, many electric appliances, more than 100 amulets, and a karaoke amplifier were stolen. The thieves left their belongings, drug tools, and footprints in the house.
The couple discovered balloons in the living room and found a microphone connected to the television.
Police successfully tracked down and arrested the thieves yesterday, January 17. The couple was shocked by the age of the criminals. The oldest boy was 17 years old, and the youngest boy was only eight years old. They confessed to the crime and returned the remaining property to the homeowners.
Homeowners drop charges
One of the suspects, 17 year old Perk, admitted that he noticed the house had been vacant for several days. He then invited his young friends to play and use methamphetamine inside the house. Almost all of them consumed drugs and, under the influence, ended up damaging the property. Perk mentioned that he bought three drug tablets for 100 baht.
The youngest boy’s grandmother, who was looking after him due to his parents’ divorce, revealed to Channel 3 that the boy’s mother was in prison, and his father refused to take care of him. She never expected her grandson to engage in drug use and theft. She expressed regret and pledged to take better care of him.
The couple decided to drop the charges against the suspects upon realising their young age but urged their parents and guardians to monitor them more closely.
The public was shocked by the age of the criminals, raising concerns about the lenient sentences given to young offenders in Thailand. The rising number of crimes committed by young suspects, coupled with the severity of their actions, is causing growing apprehension.
Recently, a group of five teenagers aged between 13 and 16 were arrested for the brutal murder of a Thai woman in the Isaan province of Sa Kaeo. In addition to this murder, this group of teenagers were reported to have committed other crimes in the community, such as gang rape, and many acts of violence.
