Pathum Thani underwear thief caught after targeting laundrette

Police have arrested a man accused of repeatedly stealing women’s underwear from a self‑service laundrette in Pathum Thani, following a series of thefts that left female university students concerned about their safety.

The arrest was announced today, January 27, by Police Colonel Phatchachai Phamonphiboon, superintendent of Pak Khlong Rangsit Police Station, along with investigators from the station’s crime suppression unit.

The suspect, identified as 30 year old Suwattana, was taken into custody along with a white Honda motorcycle registered in Sakon Nakhon province.

According to police, an investigation revealed that the suspect had committed at least two similar thefts in Lak Hok subdistrict, Mueang district, Pathum Thani. The first incident occurred on October 26 last year, when five women’s bras were reported stolen. A second incident took place on January 11 this year, involving the theft of another five bras from the same area.

Officers reviewed CCTV footage from the laundrette where the thefts occurred, allowing them to identify both the suspect’s physical appearance and his motorcycle. Further checks traced the suspect to a nearby dormitory.

Police conducted surveillance at the building and arrested the suspect when he later came downstairs. During questioning, Suwattana reportedly confessed to the thefts, admitting he deliberately targeted laundrettes at night.

He told police he stole women’s underwear to satisfy sexual urges and discarded the items immediately after using them. He also admitted to committing the offences twice.

The most recent victim, a 21 year old third-year university student, said she had gone to do her laundry in the early hours of January 21, but upon returning to collect her clothes, discovered that all of her underwear had gone missing. Concerned for her safety, she decided to file a police report.

She said she was initially surprised that police were able to arrest the suspect, believing the case to be minor. However, she expressed relief and gratitude towards officers at Pak Khlong Rangsit Police Station for taking students’ concerns seriously.

Naewna reported that police have charged the suspect with theft committed at night and are preparing to proceed with legal action under standard procedures.

In similar news, a late-night underwear thief caught on CCTV has left residents of a community in Sri Racha, Chon Buri, unsettled and calling on police to track the suspect down quickly.