Cambodian pickpocket arrested, South Korean Victim on BTS station.

November 2, 2023 Tanyaporn R.

A Cambodian pickpocket has been arrested after a South Korean tourist fell victim at a BTS station. Police Major Kantapon Poet from Yan Nawa Police Station along with related officials arrested Sam 31 years old from Cambodia. The suspect is facing charges related to theft during the night and residing in Thailand illegally. The suspect was arrested on 31 October 2023. The incident itself took place on 17 October 2023 at 15:00. Hia Ri Kim from South Korea filed a report with the Yan Nawa Police Station after she was pickpocketed. The suspect was using the Skytrain at the Saphan Taksin BTS Station when she realized her phone was gone.

The victim’s phone is a White Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. At first, the victim wasn’t sure if she had forgotten the phone somewhere but she suspected someone had stolen it. An investigation was started and police reviewed the security footage collected from the station along with areas nearby. Along with help from the BTS security team officials found evidence that showed the suspect following the victim to the station. The suspect, a small woman wearing a white shirt was seen placing her hand inside the victim’s purse. She quickly grabbed the phone and left the victim to a different exit.

The BTS security team revealed that there have been pickpocketing groups in the skytrain and they believe the suspect belongs to this same group. They found more footage of the suspect walking in different stations. The security team and the police were on stand by at the station and the suspect returned again to find more victims. Sam was spotted walking around Saphan Taksin Station when police presented themselves and confirmed she matched the woman in the security footage. Sam admitted to being a pickpocket and that she stole Hia Ri Kim’s phone. The phone is already gone and was sold for 1,500 THB. The suspect also admitted she came into Thailand illegally and is residing in the nation without proper documentation.