Police bust gang of thieves targetting foreigners in northeast Thailand
Police announced the results of their investigation into a gang of thieves targetting foreigners with families all over the Isaan region this afternoon in front of the Provincial Police Region 3 Headquarters in Nakhon Ratchasima province in northeast Thailand. Police seized stolen assets worth an accumulative 3 million baht.
The gang found its victims by sitting in shopping malls around Isaan and scouting out foreigners with families. Then, the gang would follow the foreigner home and scope out their house, according to Deputy Commissioner of Police Provincial Region 3 Pol. Maj. Gen. Rapheephong Sukphaiboon.
The officer said the thieves specifically targeted foreigners with families whose homes were not fitted with CCTV cameras. Together, the gang would return to the property in the dead of night and break into the house armed with guns and knives.
Wearing all black, balaclavas and gloves to prevent leaving fingerprints, the gang jointly committed an armed robbery at least four times in Chaiyaphum, Surin, Srisaket and Nong Bua Lamphu provinces.
Banmuang reports that police arrested four people…
- 32 gang leader Prasopchoke [surname withheld] who lives in Non Thong Lang subdistrict, Bua Yai district, Nakhon Ratchasima province.
- 25 year old Somsak [surname withheld] living in Non Chan subdistrict, Pak Thong Chai district, Nakhon Ratchasima province.
- 23 year old Puttiphong [surname withheld] who lives in Ngew subdistrict, Pak Thong Chai district, Nakhon Ratchasima province.
- 21 year old Asadakhon [surname withheld].
The four suspects were arrested for jointly trespassing at night armed with weapons, joint armed robbery, and jointly using a vehicle to commit a crime and transport stolen property.
Korat Police seized a grey Isuzu D-Max pickup truck, a black Toyota Yaris, and several other assets with a collective value of more than 3 million baht.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Rapheephong said that Prasopchoke, the gang leader, has a history of being prosecuted for theft. Prasopchoke has been prosecuted for theft 11 times in Provincial Police Regions 3 and 4, including for stealing from Udon Thani Central Prison on November 4, 2021.
Two weeks ago, police arrested a gang of Mongolian thieves preying on tourists at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
