Thai Bonnie and Clyde arrested after hitting 32 petrol stations in Isaan
More than 50 police officers joined forces to arrest a Thai Bonnie and Clyde who robbed 32 petrol stations after the scoundrels ran circles around officers in several provinces of the Isaan part of Thailand.
One of the suspects worked as a PT Petrol station manager and used insider information to rob other branches under the same brand. They stole over 2 million baht.
The petrol station manager, 26 year old Phusanisa Prasertsang and her boyfriend, 33 year old Marut Akkahardsi, were finally arrested after a month-long wild goose chase at their homes in the Thawatchaburi district in the Isaan province of Roi Et on February 5.
The Commissioner of Metropolitan Police Division 3, Wiwat Jitsopha, said that the two notorious suspects were the most wanted in the northeast region of Thailand.
Wiwat reported that 32 petrol stations, under the PT Station brand, filed a complaint with the police in January that their branches were targeted and safety boxes full of cash were stolen.
The officers investigated and believed that all of the cases were done by the same group of thieves because the robbing method was similar.
According to Wiwat, the thieves knew the security system of the petrol stations very well and avoided almost all of the security cameras. They planned very well and did not leave any traces behind. They only committed the crimes at night on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
The suspects were confident and continued committing crimes even though they knew that the police in the whole region were on their tail.
The police finally detected the car that was used in the robberies and found that it belonged to the manager of a PT Station Yasothorn branch, Phusanisa.
The officers followed Phusanisa and her boyfriend to their latest target, a petrol station in the Nong Harn district of Udon Thani, and then followed the couple home and finally arrested them.
The couple faced two charges:
- Section 355(1) and 355(3) of the Criminal Law: whoever commits theft at night by destroying a barrier that protects persons or assets shall be punished with imprisonment from one year to five years and a fine of 20,000 to 100,000 baht
- Section 336 of the Criminal Law: whoever violates Section 355 by using a vehicle to facilitate the violation shall be liable to a half heavier punishment than the penalty stated in Section 355
