Chiang Rai theft suspect escapes police vehicle through roof
A Thai suspect arrested for theft in the northern province of Chiang Rai escaped from a police transport vehicle by damaging its roof.
Officers from Mae Yao Police Station are searching for the 25 year old suspect, Armo Chermue, who fled custody yesterday, April 9, while being escorted to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG). Police revealed they had planned to release the man later that day, but he escaped beforehand.
Officers explained that Armo had a history of drug dealing and was suspected of involvement in a theft that occurred at 5am the same day.
Armo was being escorted from the police station to the OAG for further consideration of his charges, as officers reportedly lacked sufficient evidence to directly link him to the theft. He was to be temporarily released following a review by OAG officials.
According to the police report, Armo broke through the roof of the police vehicle, crawled out, jumped onto the road, and fled on foot. At the time, he was wearing a white and black striped shirt, shorts with elephant patterns, and a pair of handcuffs.
Police reviewed CCTV footage from the area and spotted the suspect grinning as he passed a convenience store in the Ban Mai area before entering alley number 14.
His subsequent movements were difficult to track, as the alley leads to multiple locations.
Armo remains at large. In addition to the potential penalties for the theft charge, he now faces up to three years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to 60,000 baht, or both, under Section 190 of the Criminal Code for escaping while being detained by the court, a prosecutor, an investigator, or other officials.
In a separate case reported in February, two other suspects escaped custody in the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima. The two youths, aged 13 and 14, were arrested separately on charges of drug use and robbery. They were being transported together to a juvenile detention centre.
The pair took advantage of a moment when the police vehicle slowed down, leaping out of the side window and fleeing into a nearby forest. They successfully escaped custody, and no further updates have been reported regarding their re-arrest.
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