Mid-movie capture: Bangkok burglar busted on Halloween date night
A 32 year old Bangkok burglar was nabbed by police on Halloween in a cinema at a well-known shopping centre in Rama 3 district. The arrest occurred while he was taking his girlfriend to see a movie titled Death Whispering: Tee Yod.
The Bangkok burglar was served with a warrant issued by the South Bangkok Criminal Court under the charge of burglary during the night. His arrest marks the end of a disappearing act following a series of thefts at a prominent restaurant in Silom, where he had previously been employed.
Wanchai, a former convict for drug dealing, was released from jail recently. After his release, he committed theft by breaking into a restaurant where he had previously worked. He made off with five tablets and one laptop, causing damage amounting to over 100,000 baht (US$2,758). The theft happened on October 20, a day that marked his return to crime after his release from jail.
Investigations revealed that Wanchai had a criminal record of four cases. He was first arrested on May 7, 2014, on charges of dealing in type 1 narcotics at Yanna Police Station.
He was caught again on April 11, 2022, for drunk driving at Wat Phraya Krai Police Station. His third arrest was on December 8, 2022, for gambling (predicting football results) at Wat Phraya Krai Police Station.
The Bangkok burglar’s fourth arrest on October 20, 2023, was for burglary during the night at Thung Mahamek Police Station, reported KhaoSod.
Halloween shock
The arresting officers from the Metropolitan Police Bureau followed significant leads that Wanchai would be taking his girlfriend to watch the movie Death Whispering: Tee Yod on Halloween night.
As a result, an undercover investigation team disguised themselves as cinema employees in Halloween costumes for over three hours around the cinema area within the shopping mall in the Rama 3 district.
When Wanchai purchased tickets for the movie Death Whispering: Tee Yod and was about to enter the cinema, the investigation team recognised him. They created a ruse to take a picture with him before revealing themselves as officers and arresting him.
During the investigation, Wanchai confessed to all the charges. He revealed that he was fond of cooking and had worked as a chef in a restaurant for nearly 10 years.
In August, he applied for a chef position at a well-known restaurant in Sathorn and worked there for about a month. However, after having issues with a colleague, he decided to quit.
Filled with resentment, he decided to steal from the restaurant. He stole five iPads and a Surface computer, which he sold for money but was deceived in the process. The Bangkok burglar then went into hiding before being finally arrested at the cinema on Halloween.
