Gambling addict sergeant steals 160 guns to pay off debts

A police sergeant with a gambling addiction faces time in prison after he was arrested for selling state guns to pay off his debts.

Senior sergeant major, Chaowarit Phumkajorn, from Pak Kret Police Station in Nonthaburi province, near Bangkok, was arrested at 3pm yesterday in the Isaan province of Nong Khai after reportedly selling about 160 police guns to pay off his gambling debts.

Chaowarit was arrested as he tried to flee a resort in the Mueng Mhee district of Nong Khai province. He had no guns on him, only a backpack, reported Thairath.

Arresting officers revealed they caught the suspect as he waited for a new passport to be processed for a planned to escape to a neighbouring country.

The Deputy Commander of the Provincial Police Region 1, Phananchai Chuenjaitham, reported that Chaowarit was in charge of gun disbursement at Pak Kret Police Station, making it easier for him to steal guns.

Chaowarit amassed a huge gambling debt and to pay it off he stole guns and sold them to random people, gambling friends, and pawnshops for about 20,000 baht each. It was discovered he had been stealing guns for more than five years.

Senior officers did not detect any wrongdoing because Chaowarit covered his tracks, stealing only one or two guns at a time. He created fake documents which revealed that the guns had been allocated to officers on duty.

The Deputy Commander of the Royal Thai Police, Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn, revealed today that an unidentified person left 27 of those stolen guns outside the Police Club on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road in Bangkok.

Big Joke told Thai media that the buyers face prosecution for purchasing stolen goods. However, he added that the police would be more lenient to the receivers of the stolen guns if they hand them in and cooperate.

Chaowarit confessed that he committed the crimes alone.

He was initially charged under Section 335 of the Criminal Act: committing theft in a dwelling place, official place, or a place provided for public service.

Chaowarit faces a prison sentence between one and five years and a fine of 2,000 to 10,000 baht.