Fake police kidnap and extort Chinese tourist in Pattaya
Call centre scam accusations used as cover for violent robbery
Four Thai men posed as police officers and extorted 200,000 baht from a Chinese tourist in Pattaya by falsely accusing the victim of involvement in a call centre scam gang.
The 52 year old Chinese victim, Lin, filed a complaint against the four imposters following the extortion incident on July 10. He lost two mobile phones, valued at over 100,000 baht, along with 115,000 baht in cash to the gang.
Lin stated that he was abducted near an entertainment venue on Pattaya Sai Sam Road and extorted inside the suspects’ SUV before being abandoned near a shooting range along a railway road. According to Channel 7, this location was over 8 kilometres from the entertainment venue.
A 24 year old noodle shop owner, Kaew, witnessed the abduction. She told police and the media that Lin and his friend had dined at her restaurant. After their meal, the pair stood outside chatting for about 10 minutes before Lin’s friend departed.
Shortly after, a grey SUV arrived, and Lin was swiftly pulled into the vehicle. Kaew admitted that she and other bystanders did not dare intervene, as they believed the gang members were genuine police officers.
Police reviewed security camera footage and observed two men dressed entirely in black exiting the SUV before forcing Lin into the car. Both suspects wore face masks to conceal their identities.
Lin reported that two additional suspects were inside the vehicle. They claimed to be police officers and accused him of involvement in a call centre scam.
Currently, the police have not identified the suspects and have not provided further updates on the investigation.
In a similar incident in June, two Thai men were arrested in Sing Buri province for impersonating police officers and extorting 5,000 baht from an Indian national. The suspects used a similar method, forcing the victim into their car, demanding cash, and then abandoning him.
In another case in April, a man posing as a police officer was arrested in Bangkok after targeting migrant workers and their employers at the popular Asiatique The Riverfront.
The fake officer threatened to prosecute victims for illegal employment activities, prompting many to pay in fear despite having committed no offence.
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