Cabbie nabbed again for stealing from dozing passengers

By The Nation 

 

 

A Bangkok taxi driver was arrested on Sunday for allegedly stealing two luxury wristwatches worth Bt170,000 from his two passengers, who had dozed off, and then abandoning them at a bus stop on Borommaratchachonnani Road at 2am on August 10.

 

The suspect Anon Lachai was nabbed at Soi Lat Phrao 101 in Bang Kapi district by a Thong Lor police team led by superintendent Pol Colonel Khajornpong Jitpakpoom. The cabbie had been prosecuted in November 2015 for a similar crime and is wanted for another theft committed on August 6 this year.

 

Anon’s arrest stemmed from the August 10 incident in which he allegedly stole two luxury wristwatches from two male passengers whom he had picked up from a restaurant in Ekamai area. After telling the cabbie of their destination in Thawee Wattana’s Buddha Monthon II area, the passengers dozed off. 

 

When they awoke after being dropped off at the bus stop and hailed another cab, they found that their wristwatches were missing.

 

Hence they filed a theft complaint against the first cabbie. Police traced the cab from the CCTV footage at the Ekamai restaurant and the route it had taken. 

 

Upon arrest, Anon reportedly confessed to having stolen the wristwatches, which he then passed on to an accomplice called Surasi Thanthakij, who sold the watches off for Bt175,000 to a customer in Chaeng Wattana area. Anon said he pocketed Bt130,000 and gave the remaining Bt45,000 to Surasi.

 

Anon has been charged with theft.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30352473

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-08-20

I'm usually somewhat jealous of people who are able to sleep on planes,  buses, etc as I cannot.  But falling asleep in a taxi is a bad idea.  Anywhere in the world.

 

 

A dishonest thieving taxi driver !! Shock horror, no way must be a misunderstanding.??

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The cabbie had been prosecuted in November 2015 for a similar crime and is wanted for another theft committed on August 6 this year.

 

I'm guessing he needs to collect a couple more stamps before qualifying for public office.

 

48 minutes ago, webfact said:

When they awoke

I can remember the incident like yesterday even though it was years ago. After a long day at work in Bangkok I was finally heading home about 6pm. In my best Thai, I told the driver Sammakorn which was a well-known village I lived in. He shook his head yes. I had taken 1000s of taxi rides and was use to all types of drivers. Some talk, some do not. I would tell him what soi when we got to Sammakorn. A that time of the day Ramkhamhaeng was bumper to bumper and I was expecting a ride of 45 minutes or so.

 

I soon dozed off.  Later, I was awaken by the driver asking me in Thai where was I going. I soon discovered that that he had taken me to where I had asked. Crap! And it was my fault. I think the bill came to around B400 for me to actually get home and that was a lot of money back then.

 

The taxi driver had heard me say Samut Prakarn, not Sammakorn...

Waiting with suspense who the lucky tourist that get a wallet of returned money will be in tomorrows news. I bet on an indian man, and yes! We can start a poll.

Taxi drivers are a special breed.

If they commit any wrongdoing, there's no need to go to the temple to make merit. All they have to do is hand in a 'forgotten' customer's wallet and, hey presto! Sin-cancelling action completed.

In this case he could 'find' some customer's property he'd stolen in the past.

Just add water - for instant fame and forgiveness.

 

Perhaps he was collecting watches for the "Watchman" to wear on his next public appearance! 

Yet he is still licenced to drive a taxi after prior similar offences?

1 minute ago, DoctorG said:

Yet he is still licenced to drive a taxi after prior similar offences?

He's apologised, so the slate's wiped clean. What more can you ask?

 

and he is still a robbing taxi driver, next

1 hour ago, bluesofa said:

He's apologised, so the slate's wiped clean. What more can you ask?

 

Does he have to repay the money he received from the stolen watches?   If not, unless he receives a prison sentence and/or loses his licence to drive a taxi, it is win/win for him in many ways and we will be reading about him again very shortly.

3 hours ago, Get Real said:

Waiting with suspense who the lucky tourist that get a wallet of returned money will be in tomorrows news. I bet on an indian man, and yes! We can start a poll.

You beat me to it....

Personally I will go for a Kuwaiti, or other Middle Eastern Tourist.......

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The cabbie had been prosecuted in November 2015 for a similar crime and is wanted for another theft committed on August 6 this year.

Why oh why is he still driving a taxi !!!

Why has it taken more than two weeks to find him when they know his cab number, license number, address.......no problem answering as we know the answers......?

Why isnt he in jail?

 

post tomorrow

Honest cabbie returns 200,000 baht to customer who left it on his back seat !!

1 hour ago, Destiny1990 said:

Why isnt he in jail?

 

He is working for Prawit

3 hours ago, AhFarangJa said:

You beat me to it....

Personally I will go for a Kuwaiti, or other Middle Eastern Tourist.......

ooh. i don't know. i think i'm with get real on this one. i reckon it's gonna be an indian. sure the odds may be short but it's a fairly safe bet

Only a Thai could fall asleep in a Taxi driven by a Thai driver or else he had too many Singhas.

Don't remember this Taxi number as it could be leased to a good driver the next day.

At least they did not get rapped like the bazil model.

Always avoid the cabby with the Darth Vader gas mask on lol.

27 minutes ago, oldrunner said:

Only a Thai could fall asleep in a Taxi driven by a Thai driver or else he had too many Singhas.

Chinese gased through the aircon

When they awoke after being dropped off at the bus stop

 

awoke after

 

how do sleeping people get out of a taxi

18 minutes ago, Media1 said:

Chinese gased through the aircon

Only if a German car maybe

11 hours ago, webfact said:

The cabbie had been prosecuted in November 2015 for a similar crime and is wanted for another theft committed on August 6 this year.

 

And he's still out and about? And taxiing? The mind boggles. Though evidently by not half as much as that of the RTP.

1 hour ago, Monkeyrobot said:

At least they did not get rapped like the bazil model.

Rapped? That had me thinking for a while.

11 hours ago, webfact said:

The cabbie had been prosecuted in November 2015 for a similar crime and is wanted for another theft committed on August 6 this year.

 

 

And yet here he was, working now as a presumably licensed taxi driver....

 

Perhaps we need to put out a missing persons bulletin for the Thai DLT.

 

5 hours ago, Jonmarleesco said:

And he's still out and about? And taxiing? The mind boggles. Though evidently by not half as much as that of the RTP.

Only in Thailand