John K Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 Taxi drivers catch car thief with policeman's missing girl An opportunist thief drove off from a Bangkok police station late on Tuesday with a police sergeant's pickup, without knowing that the officer's sixyearold daughter was asleep in the back. The theft took place some time between 9pm and 10:30pm at the Lad Krabang Police Station. But it was not until 3am yesterday that more than 100 taxidrivers were involved in their collective heroism by tracking down the 25year-old thief. They spotted him driving the stolen vehicle in Nonthaburi. The girl was rescued unharmed, apparently not knowing what she had gone through during the fierce hunt for her captor. She slept well during the ordeal, while her captor drove her all the way from Lad Krabang to Prachaniwet, to Ngarm Wongwarn before he was stopped Tiwanon 11, Nonthaburi. The whole distance was about 50 kilometres. "I was looking for a passenger around Soi Ngarm Wong Wan 18 when I noticed a pickup with a description matching the one stolen," said Somsak Okkaew, a 34yearold taxi driver. Somsak heard the report about the stolen vehicle from Jor Sor 100, the popular traffic radio station. Cabbie Somsak chased after thief Tewa Parnses, as did many other taxis. When the pickup went past the Kae Lai intersection and turned left in the direction of Sanam Bin Nam, a taxi driver cut in front of it. "When I cut my vehicle in front, I was also thinking in my head of what I would do if the thief pulled out a gun and shot me. Still, my wish to help the girl and arrest the thief was so strong," said taxi driver Prasert Chairatleetrakoon, 57. By the time Nonthaburi police arrived, at the entrance to Soi Tiwanont 11, more than 100 taxis had surrounded the stolen car. Tewa attempted to flee the scene, but the taxi drivers helped to arrest him. The news of his arrest and the girl's rescue brought joy to Sergeant Akradej Makasen and his wife Pathumwan. "I will never leave my daughter in a vehicle again," Akradej said. Tuesday looked like any other evening for pickup owner Akradej at first. He finished his shift at Lat Krabang station in the evening, but parked his pickup there because he needed to help his wife, who runs a food stall just metres away. At around 9pm, he carried his beloved daughter - Orawee or "Namfon" - back to his pickup. He started the engine, switched on the air conditioner and let her sleep. But he did not lock the car. But when he returned to the station at around 10.30pm, Namfon and his pickup were gone. "At first, I thought someone was pulling my leg. I thought it must have been a joke," Akradej said. His heart sank when his colleagues and relatives insisted that they did not know where his daughter and his vehicle had gone. "I lodged a complaint with police. I was so worried about my daughter. I had left my loaded gun in the pickup, too," he said. Speaking after his arrest, Tewa said he did not know the vehicle belonged to a policeman and he did not know there was a girl inside when he stole the car. "It's simply that the motorcycle I was riding ran out of petrol in front of the police station. When I looked around, I saw the pickup was unlocked and its engine was running. So I decided to get in," he said. Tewa, who was once a noodle seller in Chachoengsao's 100yearold market, had borrowed his nephew's motorcycle for a trip to visit his friend, who works at a convenience store in Lat Krabang. "I was shocked to see the police uniform and the girl in the vehicle. I was planning to drive the vehicle to visit a relative," he said. He said he had never committed a crime before. Tewa is now facing charges of stealing property from a government compound at night and illegally detaining a minor. - "I will never leave her in the car again," Akradej - Jor Sor 100 a big help in finding girl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
November Rain Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 He left his 6 year old daughter and a loaded gun in a pick-up with the engine running? What if she'd woken & started playing with the gun? What did actually happen is the best out of many bad scenarios. Very, very stupid!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pampal Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 TIT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pattayaman Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 Lets face it if he had more than 2 brian cells he would not be the job he does Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leisurely Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 You are right NR. The scenario that has just played out is one of the better ones that could have happened. Doubt his wife will let him be supervising his daughter for a while. What a divvy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 Taxi drivers catch car thief with policeman's missing girl An opportunist thief drove off from a Bangkok police station late on Tuesday with a police sergeant's pickup, without knowing that the officer's sixyearold daughter was asleep in the back. The theft took place some time between 9pm and 10:30pm at the Lad Krabang Police Station. But it was not until 3am yesterday that more than 100 taxidrivers were involved in their collective heroism by tracking down the 25year-old thief. They spotted him driving the stolen vehicle in Nonthaburi. The girl was rescued unharmed, apparently not knowing what she had gone through during the fierce hunt for her captor. She slept well during the ordeal, while her captor drove her all the way from Lad Krabang to Prachaniwet, to Ngarm Wongwarn before he was stopped Tiwanon 11, Nonthaburi. The whole distance was about 50 kilometres. "I was looking for a passenger around Soi Ngarm Wong Wan 18 when I noticed a pickup with a description matching the one stolen," said Somsak Okkaew, a 34yearold taxi driver. Somsak heard the report about the stolen vehicle from Jor Sor 100, the popular traffic radio station. Cabbie Somsak chased after thief Tewa Parnses, as did many other taxis. When the pickup went past the Kae Lai intersection and turned left in the direction of Sanam Bin Nam, a taxi driver cut in front of it. "When I cut my vehicle in front, I was also thinking in my head of what I would do if the thief pulled out a gun and shot me. Still, my wish to help the girl and arrest the thief was so strong," said taxi driver Prasert Chairatleetrakoon, 57. By the time Nonthaburi police arrived, at the entrance to Soi Tiwanont 11, more than 100 taxis had surrounded the stolen car. Tewa attempted to flee the scene, but the taxi drivers helped to arrest him. The news of his arrest and the girl's rescue brought joy to Sergeant Akradej Makasen and his wife Pathumwan. "I will never leave my daughter in a vehicle again," Akradej said. Tuesday looked like any other evening for pickup owner Akradej at first. He finished his shift at Lat Krabang station in the evening, but parked his pickup there because he needed to help his wife, who runs a food stall just metres away. At around 9pm, he carried his beloved daughter - Orawee or "Namfon" - back to his pickup. He started the engine, switched on the air conditioner and let her sleep. But he did not lock the car. But when he returned to the station at around 10.30pm, Namfon and his pickup were gone. "At first, I thought someone was pulling my leg. I thought it must have been a joke," Akradej said. His heart sank when his colleagues and relatives insisted that they did not know where his daughter and his vehicle had gone. "I lodged a complaint with police. I was so worried about my daughter. I had left my loaded gun in the pickup, too," he said. Speaking after his arrest, Tewa said he did not know the vehicle belonged to a policeman and he did not know there was a girl inside when he stole the car. "It's simply that the motorcycle I was riding ran out of petrol in front of the police station. When I looked around, I saw the pickup was unlocked and its engine was running. So I decided to get in," he said. Tewa, who was once a noodle seller in Chachoengsao's 100yearold market, had borrowed his nephew's motorcycle for a trip to visit his friend, who works at a convenience store in Lat Krabang. "I was shocked to see the police uniform and the girl in the vehicle. I was planning to drive the vehicle to visit a relative," he said. He said he had never committed a crime before. Tewa is now facing charges of stealing property from a government compound at night and illegally detaining a minor. --The Nation 2007-04-26 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdnvic Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 All the above comments are quite valid (minus the TiT one *yawn*), however taxi drivers get a lot of grief on this forum and I think they have earned some praise for their efforts here in rescuing this girl. Well done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sceadugenga Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 All the above comments are quite valid (minus the TiT one *yawn*), however taxi drivers get a lot of grief on this forum and I think they have earned some praise for their efforts here in rescuing this girl.Well done The voice of reason. Of course none of us have heard of anyone being that stupid in the US, or Australia, or Canada..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurgen Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 At around 9pm, he carried his beloved daughter - Orawee or "Namfon" - back to his pickup. He started the engine, switched on the air conditioner and let her sleep. But when he returned to the station at around 10.30pm, I had left my loaded gun in the pickup, too," he said. :D He leaves a 6 year old in an unlocked pickup truck, with the engine running and a loaded gun for 1 1/2 hours ! What a prick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dumspero Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 The guy made a mistake. People do. I have and so have you. Pattayaman- There is no basis to say that all Thai cops are stupid. In my opinion, that is offensive and baseless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
November Rain Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 All the above comments are quite valid (minus the TiT one *yawn*), however taxi drivers get a lot of grief on this forum and I think they have earned some praise for their efforts here in rescuing this girl.Well done The voice of reason. Of course none of us have heard of anyone being that stupid in the US, or Australia, or Canada..... Excuse me? What difference does it make what nationality he was? This is a Thai forum & he's obviously Thai, but that was hardly the point most of us were making. Let me clarify it: based on his actions, the policeman is an extremely stupid man who is very lucky that these taxi drivers came to his aid before some horrible tragedy, completely of his own making, occurred. And, yes, it is of his making - who leaves their car running & the doors unlocked anywhere? Huge chance of it getting stolen. Almost a foregone conclusion. One count of stupidity. To have your daughter & a loaded gun in said car also is stupidity beyond belief, and would be if this had happened anywhere in the world. No-one is Thai bashing. To act in this way, he would still be unbelievably stupid, no matter what nationality he was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leisurely Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 totally agree with you. There was already more said on this when it was running in general topics, the previous replies seem to have vanished Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totster Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 Identical topics merged. totster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdnvic Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 Identical topics merged.totster Cheers Tots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Clifton Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 The guy made a mistake. People do. I have and so have you.Pattayaman- There is no basis to say that all Thai cops are stupid. In my opinion, that is offensive and baseless. A mistake? More like 3 mistakes, all breaking the law where I'm from. 1- Leaving a child unsupervised in vehicle. 2- Leaving a firearm, loaded on top of it, unattended in the presence of a child. 3- Leaving a vehicle unattended with the engine running. It may be offensive and baseless to you but, then again, saying that all cops here are intelligent is also offensive and baseless to many of us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BossHogg Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 Agreed we all make mistakes...however, this guy must be disciplined by his superiors.Being permitted to carry a loaded firearm is a great responsibility and it baffles me that anyone would let it out of there sight.Then there are responsabilities of parenthood.The guy needs a serious kick in the butt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Reimar Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 (edited) sceadugenga:The voice of reason. Of course none of us have heard of anyone being that stupid in the US, or Australia, or Canada..... May you never look ADC: Americans Dumbest Criminals!! Better take a look at this before post such comment! Edited April 26, 2007 by Reimar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Payboy Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 He started the engine, switched on the air conditioner and let her sleep. But he did not lock the car. just as well that the vehicle was stolen - the child would had died of carbon monoxide poisoning otherwise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunderland Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 He started the engine, switched on the air conditioner and let her sleep. But he did not lock the car. just as well that the vehicle was stolen - the child would had died of carbon monoxide poisoning otherwise Why? She was inside the vehicle ... and I seriously doubt that she had connected a tube to the exhaust whilst she was asleep. And some people think Thais are stupid .... Aside from the idiotic excuse from the thief and the carelessness of the policeman, I think the highlight of this story is the final scene where 100 taxis surrounded the thief. Well done lads! Nice one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinom Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 He started the engine, switched on the air conditioner and let her sleep. But he did not lock the car. just as well that the vehicle was stolen - the child would had died of carbon monoxide poisoning otherwise Why? She was inside the vehicle ... and I seriously doubt that she had connected a tube to the exhaust whilst she was asleep. And some people think Thais are stupid .... Aside from the idiotic excuse from the thief and the carelessness of the policeman, I think the highlight of this story is the final scene where 100 taxis surrounded the thief. Well done lads! Nice one! 100 taxis in a nice tidy circle a.k.a. "form the wagons in a circle ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dumspero Posted April 28, 2007 Share Posted April 28, 2007 Tony Clifton- who said ALL cops are intelligent? I didn't say that. I just said it's offensive and baseless to say they're all stupid, and it is. You might wish to consider that just because a person says something is not black does not mean he said, implied or even thinks the thing is white. Sunderland- Who thinks "Thais" are stupid? Many may think (and maybe they're right) that this cop is stupid, but who thinks "Thais" are stupid? I hope nobody holds you all to the standard you're holding this guy. I agree he mad a mistake (ok, three, to break it down into components, and together they're a big mistake), but who hasn't done worse? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pumpuiman Posted April 28, 2007 Share Posted April 28, 2007 (edited) He started the engine, switched on the air conditioner and let her sleep. But he did not lock the car. just as well that the vehicle was stolen - the child would had died of carbon monoxide poisoning otherwise Why? She was inside the vehicle ... and I seriously doubt that she had connected a tube to the exhaust whilst she was asleep. And some people think Thais are stupid .... Aside from the idiotic excuse from the thief and the carelessness of the policeman, I think the highlight of this story is the final scene where 100 taxis surrounded the thief. Well done lads! Nice one! I have read that there is a danger of carbon monoxide poisoning if sitting in an idling vehicle for a long period. Apparently fumes will rise from below.....without the movement of he car to disperse them. So who's stupid now? May 24, 2004 Palm Beach Daily Business Review, "Summary of Bowden v. General Motors Corp." The estate of a 52-year-old truck driver who died from carbon monoxide poisoning while sleeping in his tractor was awarded $4.43 million by a jury on April 23. Robert Nelson went to sleep in his Freightliner tractor at a rest area in Bowling Green, Ky., and was found dead the next day by two other drivers for Phoenix-based Swift Transportation, Nelson's employer. Just one example. An exhaust leak on your car or truck could be enough. Not a good idea to sleep with the engine running. Edited April 28, 2007 by pumpuiman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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