Police bust gang of motorbike thieves

PHUKET CITY: Police have busted a gang of motorbike thieves, including their leader, who have allegedly stolen about 50 motorbikes over the past four months.

Col Nos Svettalekha, superintendent of Phuket City Police Station, told the Gazette, “The leader of the gang is Krittanai ‘Max’ Buapeng, 36, from Krabi. We have followed him for about nearly four months.” Krittanai was arrested June 20.

“He had about 10 henchmen who stole motorbikes for him. They stole only Honda bikes, and even stole bikes to order.

“The motorbikes were sent to Burma through Ranong,” he added.

“We arrested his gang in two raids, arresting about five people each time: one raid was at Kapoe in Ranong and the other was while gang members were passing through the Tah Chat Chai checkpoint.

“Over the past four months they stole about 50 motorbikes. About 30 people have came here [Phuket City Police Station] to identify their stolen bikes. However, we have only seven bikes stolen by the gang here,” he said.

Police said many of the other bikes have already been sold and will probably not be recovered.

Col Nos said that all gang members had confessed to the thefts. A court date had yet to be set, he added.