Fowl play: Pattaya bird bandits ruffle feathers in cocky heist
Two brazen bird bandits are on the run after snatching four top-notch fighting cocks from a local breeder, leaving the owner fuming that they didn’t even spare him a single feather.
The pair of plucky thieves were caught on CCTV stealing four Burmese fighting roosters, two each night over two consecutive early-morning raids, from a home along the railway road in Nongprue, Chon Buri.
A furious Facebook post shared on Tuesday, June 3, included CCTV clips of the sneaky snatch, along with a desperate plea for help tracking the culprits.
“Thieves stole four fighting cocks, two each night for two nights. Even with cameras, they dared to do it… If anyone recognises them, please let them know we have cameras. Why didn’t they leave even one cock behind?” the victim wrote.
Yesterday, June 4, reporters visited the scene in Soi Pattaya-Bypass 5, Moo 11, where they met the furious fowl fan, 53 year old Supat “Uncle Odd” Hongkhaw, a well-known breeder of elite fighting roosters and fancy pigeons.
Uncle Odd explained that the missing birds were no ordinary chickens, they were premium Burmese cocks, bred for the high-stakes world of cockfighting. Two belonged to him, and the others were entrusted to his care by a mate.
The thieves struck just after 3am on both June 2 and 3, arriving on a motorcycle, parking near the railway, and sneaking into the rooster run. CCTV shows them popping open coops and making off with two birds each night, before fleeing into the darkness.
The missing cocks, valued at around 10,000 baht, had recently been purchased for breeding and competitions, and were already showing serious promise in training.
“I couldn’t believe it,” said Uncle Odd. “They picked the best ones. They were quick learners, strong, real fighters. I’d just got them.”
The crime comes amid a spate of cock thefts across Bang Lamung, with top-tier birds fetching 30,000 to 40,000 baht, and proven champions going for up to 100,000 baht.
“These guys knew what they were doing,” Uncle Odd warned. “They’ve done this before.”
He’s now compiling CCTV evidence to file an official police report and has issued a warning to other breeders in the tight-knit cockfighting scene to lock up tight.
Cockfighting remains legal in Thailand and is protected as a traditional sport, despite mounting pressure from animal rights activists abroad.
Meanwhile, the hunt is on for the cocky criminals still at large.
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