Cameraman caper: Former journalist nabbed for stealing from fellow hacks

Parliamentary Police officers arrested a former Thai journalist as he posed as a news cameraman for stealing valuables from other hacks. Police believe the suspect attempted to blackmail new Members of Parliament.

Journalists from several news outlets gathered at Parliament House yesterday to interview new MPs who reported for work at Parliament.

Amid the chaos, one reporter noticed the former light-fingered journalist who stole some of his valuables a few years ago and reported it to the Parliamentary Police. Officers managed to apprehend the man, whose identity was not reported.

The man insisted that he was a journalist and came to Parliament to take pictures for his news articles. He wore an official press pass card with a strip that displayed a Parliament logo on it. However, his press card had expired and he could not present the permission document given by the Parliament authorities.

According to the victim, the man was a former journalist from the Public Relations Department of Thailand. His press card was valid from September 2, 2010, to September 1, 2011.

The journalist victim disclosed that the unscrupulous thief had snatched his laptop while he was at Thammasart University.

Despite filing a complaint with the police at the time, no progress had been made. So, he reclaimed his stolen property back by himself. The victim alleged that the man also stole at the Office of the Election Commission.

Following further investigation by the police, the man was seen in the CCTV footage sneaking into Parliament through an unguarded small gate.

Moreover, the man reportedly used inappropriate pictures to threaten newly appointed MPs for money. He only focused on the politicians who were new and wealthy. Officers believe that he came to Parliament yesterday to search for his next victim.

The alleged thief is in police custody but the specific charges levelled against him have yet to be disclosed.