Caught out: Suspected Phuket cat burglar faces fresh charges
Officers seek more victims as suspect faces transfer for prosecution in Phuket
A suspected cat burglar already behind bars in Phang Nga is now staring down more charges in Phuket, after police linked him to a string of break-ins in Wichit and Chalong.
Wichit Police Chief, Colonel Somsak Thongkliang, confirmed yesterday, August 28, that investigators are pushing the Phuket Provincial Court to issue an arrest warrant for the suspect, identified only as 30 year old Pradit from Takua Thung in Phang Nga.
The breakthrough came after police reviewed CCTV footage from one of the burglaries. The clips showed a man fleeing on a motorcycle, escaping through Soi Khoktanode in Chalong.
Officers later traced the motorcycle to the home of Pradit’s wife, who admitted her husband was the person captured on camera.
Col. Somsak explained that checks revealed Pradit had already been arrested on a separate theft charge and appeared before Phang Nga Provincial Court on August 21. He was subsequently transferred to Phang Nga Provincial Prison, where he remains in custody.
Now, Phuket police are moving to detain him for at least two confirmed burglary cases in Wichit, where victims have already lodged complaints. Once the Phuket court issues its warrant, investigators will coordinate with Phang Nga prison officials to transfer him.
Col. Somsak urged other victims who may have been targeted by cat burglars to step forward.
“I would like to inform victims who have been robbed by cat burglars in shops, offices, and homes in and around Wichit and Chalong to file a report at Wichit Police Station or at their local station.”
“This will help ensure the perpetrator is brought to justice.”
Investigators believe there could be more victims who have yet to report losses, particularly in burglary-prone areas. With Pradit already in custody, police say the case provides an opportunity to clear up a series of unsolved thefts in Phuket’s south, reported The Phuket News.
For now, officers are expediting paperwork to ensure the suspect faces trial in Phuket, where his alleged crime spree began.
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