Bangkok police arrest repeat thief targeting university students

Police from Bang Khen Investigation Unit in Bangkok raided a rental room to arrest a man suspected of stealing from a prominent university student. Clear CCTV footage identified the suspect as a repeat offender with a lengthy criminal record who had recently been released from prison.

Anan Worasat, the superintendent of Bang Khen Police Station, directed Kosonpiya Sima, the deputy superintendent of investigation, along with Pornchai Wongprasertkan and Yuranan Phetmanee, both investigation officers, to apprehend 48 year old Panupon, at around 7pm yesterday, September 20.

The arrest occurred at a rental room next to Chatuchak District Office in Bangkok. Officers seized several items, including an AirPods set worth approximately 7,000 baht, a wallet valued at around 800 baht, a black shoulder bag, and a calculator worth about 1,500 baht.

Bang Khen investigation officers received a report at around 8am yesterday of a theft inside a cafeteria at a university in the Kaset area, Lat Yao subdistrict, Chatuchak district, Bangkok. Upon arriving at the scene, the officers examined the CCTV footage, which clearly showed Panupon as the perpetrator. Panupon has a history of committing thefts in the Bang Khen area, which led the officers to monitor his activities closely.

During the initial questioning, Panupon admitted to being the individual in the CCTV footage and confessed to stealing within the university. He revealed that he had previously been arrested by Bang Khen police and sentenced to six months in prison. After his release, he returned to commit theft again, leading to his recent arrest.

Police have charged Panupon with theft and are holding him for further legal proceedings at Bang Khen Police Station, reported KhaoSod.

“The suspect’s record and recent release from prison make this case particularly concerning. We are committed to ensuring that repeat offenders are brought to justice and that our community remains safe.

“We urge the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the police promptly.”