Police nab German man in Bangkok nightclub for German businessman’s murder
Nong Prue Police Station officers arrested a German man at a nightclub in the On Nut neighbourhood of Bangkok last night for his involvement in the murder of a German businessman.
The 62 year old German real estate tycoon, Hans Peter Mack, disappeared from his house in Chon Buri province on July 4, triggering an investigation. After extensive efforts, Thai police officers made a gruesome discovery. Mack’s body had been dismembered and stored in a large freezer at a rental house in Pattaya.
A 52 year old German woman named Nicole Frevel, who rented the house, claimed that she was unaware of the murder. She said she was forced to keep the freezer in the house and was unaware of what was inside it. Prior to being questioned by the police, Frevel sustained injuries and was admitted to the hospital.
After questioning people living in the area, officers discovered that three people were living on the premises including the dead German, another German man named Olaf Thorsten Brinkmann, and a disabled woman. The neighbour also revealed that a German woman, later identified as Petra Christl Grundgreif, was also close to the three.
Following further investigation, officers issued arrest warrants for three suspects including 52 year old Brinkmann, 54 year old Grundgreif, and another unidentified man whose reported to be a Pakistani man.
At 3.20pm yesterday, Grundgreif surrendered to the police. She appeared distressed and became enraged when Thai reporters approached her for interviews and photographs. Grundgreif’s legal team arrived at the scene, and no information from the subsequent questioning was released to the public.
Later on, officers located and apprehended the remaining suspect, Brinkmann, at a nightclub in Bangkok’s On Nut neighbourhood. He was promptly taken to the Nong Prue Police Station for questioning, which went on for over five hours throughout the night.
During a press conference last night, the Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police (RTP), Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn, provided updates on the case to the media. He stated that the police had gathered sufficient evidence to arrest and charge the suspects, even if they denied any involvement.
Big Joke explained that the leader of the criminal gang was Brinkmann, and the motive for the murder was straightforward, the group simply wanted to gain financial profit from the victim.
Big Joke revealed that Brinkmann positioned himself as a powerful mafia figure in the Chon Buri and Pattaya areas. He would intimidate foreigners running businesses in Thailand, demanding payment for their protection. If anyone refused to comply, he would instruct Grundgreif to entice and kill those individuals.
The deputy commissioner also assured that the RTP would conduct a thorough investigation to target all foreign mafia and illegal foreign groups, ensuring the safety of both foreigners and locals in Thailand.
