New Chapter For Book Thieves

PATONG: Four men were apprehended by police on Thursday afternoon after they allegedly stole English language reading material from The Books bookstore on Rat-U-Thit Road. Kathu district police told the Gazette store manager Sarayuth Mallam called the authorities shortly after noon on Thursday after a group of Thai men ran from the shop with an armful of books and fled in a black Mitsubishi pick-up truck. Following a broadcast of the description of the truck, Thalang district officers spotted the suspect vehicle on Thepkrasattri Road and pulled it over. Inside they found 13 books ranging in subject matter from snakes and wild birds to Thai culture and travel. The books had a total retail value of 11,500 baht. The officers arrested the four male occupants of the pick-up, identified by Kathu police as Somboon Pengsao, Sanae Thitsak, Jareun Thanasak and Nuttawut Thitsak. Police said Somboon, Sanae, and Jareun confessed to stealing the books and that Nuttawut drove the getaway vehicle. The four were later charged with the crime and are awaiting arraignment in Phuket Provincial Court.