"Dog Cradling" fraudsters still on the run after years of cons and dozens of victims

[webfact]

"Dog Cradling" fraudsters still on the run after years of cons and dozens of victims

 

Picture: Amarin TV

 

Amarin TV reported on the case of a husband and wife team of fraudsters preying on shop owners in areas north of Bangkok.

 

They said that Apichart Bunreuang and his wife Thiyata have made millions over the years using a similar modus operandi.

 

Apichart would use the cover of a dog that he was holding to fool shop owners and restaurant proprietors that he was a genuine customer. Sometimes he would go into premises with a two year old child to give him cover.

 

An arrest warrant was finally issued for the pair on August 9th. But they had disappeared from their house - leaving their young child.

 

They are believed to be lying low in Cambodia.

 

Three of the many victims spoke to Amarin about how they were robbed.

 

A pharmacist in Pathum Thani said that a woman came in to buy a packet of medications, paid then left. Ten minutes after a man came in cradling a dog and ordered many things to treat a wound. This meant the pharmacist having to go all over the shop to fill the order.

 

Only after he had left did she realize that she had lost cash, a ring and phones valued at 40,000 baht.

 

A husband and wife selling noodles in the Ongkharat area on the way to Nakorn Nayok said that back in 2015 a woman came from a red plate car to ask if they sold drinks. She left without buying anything, the owner just thinking they would soon be back.

 

The man - now believed to be Apichart - came in thereafter with a two year old child. Saying his daughter was hot and bothered the lady took pity and helped her go inside. While she was distracted the man managed to take her bag that contained 13,000 baht, a Thai ID, an ATM card and phone.

 

Before she realized it was missing and alerted the bank to cancel the card, real disaster struck.

 

In the intervening time the bank had been contacted and persuaded by the thieves - in possession of the Thai ID, card and phone - to issue a one time password which was used to change the pin number. At an ATM the withdrawal limit was changed from 20,000 to 200,000 then 125,000 was removed, the entire contents of the account.

 

In another case in 2015 the woman now believed to be Thiyata came in to case the joint at a shop. They thought nothing of it.

 

Then the man came in - this time in a red plate Fortuner. He was holding a child.

 

He ordered nine sets of religious items - the shop only had three but while they were busy scurrying around filling the order they were surreptitiously robbed.

 

Apichart the thief stole 40,000 baht on that occasion.

 

Amarin said that there are at least 23 victims and possibly many more and that the husband and wife team have become known as the "dog cradling fraudsters" - Jone Um Maa.

 

They said they are clearly rich on the crimes as evidenced by the red plate cars used.

 

Hundreds of stolen items have been found at their house but they have flown the coop leaving their daughter

 

Police said they have probably gone to hide in Cambodia.

 

Amarin were highly critical of the police for failing to catch the pair suggesting there may be collusion on behalf of officers in the force in helping the couple.

 

Source: Amarin TV

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-08-22

[George Bowman]

6 minutes ago, webfact said:

In the intervening time the bank had been contacted and persuaded by the thieves - in possession of the Thai ID, card and phone - to issue a one time password which was used to change the pin number.

Thailand 4.0

[ezzra]

These kind of opportunistic crimes does not sustain its perpetrators, soon enough they will find themselves in prison after dodging police and hiding, not the kind of live they have envisioned...

[sammieuk1]

Surreptitiously robbed by dog and child cover seams very easy and lucrative here sure there will be some copycats with a cat and hamster trying similar scams to follow?