Man held for shooting, armed robbery

PHUKET: Police have arrested a man they believe was responsible for an armed robbery and an attempted murder, and have uncovered what may be a stolen mobile phone haul. Banjob “Nong” Pramphet, 32, freed from jail three months ago after serving a sentence for robbery and possession of stolen goods, was nabbed in a stolen pick-up truck in Ranong on Tuesday. In the truck police found a .45 pistol and some jewelry. Police say that Nong was the leader of a gang that held up the driver of a Toyota pick-up near the Surakul stadium at 4 pm on December 18. Jewelry and four mobile phones were stolen. At 2 am the following day, Paiboon Jantarasud, owner of Paiboon gun shop on Montri Rd, was shot at while on Chao Fa Rd, near the Rama IX Park. He suffered minor injury to his left ear, and later identified the gun recovered by police as having been stolen from his shop six months ago. Police gave no more details of this crime. Nong confessed to police that he had pawned some stolen mobile phones at the Star Phone shop on Montri Rd. In a subsequent raid on the shop, police seized more than 500 mobile phones, some of which they expect will turn out to have been stolen. The owner of the shop, Nipon Jiratananan, was arrested.