A GANG of Thai-Cambodian pickpockets who regularly targeted tourists in Pratunam area of Bangkok have been arrested, INN News said today (May 21).
Patrol and Special Operation Division or 191 commander Pol Maj Gen Surachet Hakphal said in announcing the arrest of members of this gang that action was taken after many tourists, both foreigners and Thais, had complained that their bags had been slashed and their belongings stolen.
Police scrutinized CCTV footage and questioned the victims to analyze the gang’s criminal behavior until they got on the trail of this Thai-Cambodian gang who worked as a team and divided the duties.
Police teams were posted in risky areas until they got a breakthrough with the arrest of a Cambodian woman Duang Thida, 35, at the textile market in Pratunam next to Baiyok Tower with a Samsung Galaxy Note 5 smartphone in her possession.
This led to the arrest of four of her accomplices with one being Thadit Nithithatchai, a 45-year-old Thai man whose duty was to facilitate the Cambodians’ journey to Thailand, arranging a place for them to stay and fencing the stolen goods.
Also arrested were May, a 28-year-old Cambodian woman and her duty was to block the view of the victim before walking away with the stolen property and Oay, a 32-year-old Cambodian woman who was the one who actually slashed the bags and pickpocketed the goods.
Police said another Thai man, Sompong Butri, 70, received money from the gang by claiming he could clear the area before they moved in on the victim and also acted as a lookout.
All the suspects are being sent to Phayathai police station for further legal action.
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Top: Patrol and Special Operation Division police with some of the pickpocket suspects. Photo: INN News
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