Thai teenage robbers’ sharp U-turn: Duo surrenders after rocking metal band’s shirt heist
Two Thai teenage robbers surrendered to police after threatening a Lao man and his friends with a knife and stealing a Thai metal band Don Phee Bin T-shirt from them. They confessed that they wanted money as a real Don Phee Bin T-shirt is worth 1,100 baht.
A 41 year old witness, Thawatchai, released CCTV footage of the robbery as a warning to the residents of Soi Ekkachai 76 in the Bang Bon district of Bangkok. Thawatchai said he heard a noise outside his home on the night of January 2. He looked out his second-floor window and saw the robbery take place.
Thawatchai went downstairs to talk to the victims and learned that the two teenage robbers had just fled on a motorbike, taking no money or other valuables, just a T-shirt. The victims encountered the robbers outside a convenience store, who then trailed them to acquire the T-shirt.
In a video recording, the two thieves approached the victims on a motorcycle, inquiring, “Are you wearing the Don Phee Bin T-shirt? Take it off. Give it to me.” One of the teen robbers dismounted and brandished a knife at the victim.
Fearing for his safety, the victim promptly removed his shirt and tossed it on the ground. One of the teen thugs thief seized the shirt and they fled the scene on the motorcycle.
PPTV HD reporters visited the location to interview the victims, only to discover from their former employer, 70 year old Thongmuan, that they had already relocated due to apprehensions about the muggers.
Thieves surrender
Thongmuan revealed that the three men were from Lao and she employed them. The employer added the men had only started working on the day of the incident. They asked for their wages in advance to buy clothes and food at a nearby market. The three men told Thongmuan about the shirt theft and then disappeared from her workers’ dormitory the following morning.
The three Lao men did not report the robbery to the police but the story was shared on the news and social media prompting officers from Bang Khun Thian Police Station to investigate the case.
Under pressure from the public, the two thieves, aged 13 and 18 years old, later turned themselves in at the police station today, January 5. They confessed that they did not think stealing a shirt would be a big problem. They decided to surrender after finding the issue had become big news.
They face five to ten years in prison and a fine of 100,000 to 200,000 baht for stealing from another person by assaulting or threatening to assault the victim under Section 339 of the Criminal Law. They would face a more severe penalty for using a vehicle to facilitate their theft and escape according to Section 340 of the Criminal Law.
Don Phee Bin is a Thai heavy metal music band formed in 1985 by three Thai brothers: guitarist Sombat Kaewthit, drummer Somsak Kaewthit and vocalist Somkid Kaewthit. They produced music that reflected environmental issues and were well known for their bat logo.
Two members of the band have already retired from the music industry due to health problems and age. Sombat is the only member who produces songs and merchandise for the band. Part of the proceeds from the sales of their merchandise go to various environmental projects.
