Chonburi Highway Police Arrest Couple in Stolen Rental Car Scam

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture of arrest

 

Chonburi highway police have arrested a couple accused of renting cars and selling them on the black market, including to neighbouring countries. The arrests followed a routine patrol that led to the discovery of a stolen vehicle.

 

On 11 March, it was reported by Pol. Lt. Col. Ittisak Khamkhun, Superintendent of Highway Police Station 2, along with other senior officers, that the police had successfully apprehended 48-year-old Mr. Thanakrit under an arrest warrant issued by the Nonthaburi Provincial Court (No. 433/2567) on 27 November 2024. He is charged with “joint embezzlement of property.”

 

A second suspect, 29-year-old Ms. Kanyakorn, also known as Ratchaya, was arrested under a similar warrant (No. 434/2567).

 

The authorities seized a grey Toyota Yaris along with its key and licence plates. The news conference took place at the Pattaya Highway Police Service Unit in Bang Lamung District, Chonburi.

 

The investigation began on 9 March, when officers on patrol along Highway 3, near kilometre markers 153-154 in Sattahip, noticed a black Toyota suddenly switching lanes before entering a turn off over a bridge. The erratic driving raised suspicions, prompting police to signal the vehicle to stop for inspection.

 

Mr. Thanakrit was behind the wheel, with Ms. Kanyakorn in the passenger seat. Officers quickly identified several irregularities: the vehicle had no visible tax disc, no registration document, and the licence plates belonged to a different vehicle, a white Mitsubishi. The pair and the vehicle were taken to the Pattaya Highway Police Service Unit for further investigation.

 

Upon checking police records, officers discovered that Mr. Thanakrit was wanted under an active warrant. The Toyota Yaris in question had been reported stolen by its rightful owner at Rattanathibet Police Station. Police subsequently arrested the suspects on charges of “joint embezzlement of property” and transferred them to Rattanathibet Police Station for legal proceedings.

 

Further investigations revealed that Mr. Thanakrit and Ms. Kanyakorn had been operating a car and motorcycle rental scam, renting vehicles, disabling their GPS tracking systems, and then selling them. Stolen cars were sold on the second-hand black market, while motorcycles were trafficked to Myanmar and Cambodia.

 

Reports indicate that victims had filed complaints with at least four police stations: Pan Thong, Pattaya City, Nonthaburi, and Kanchanaburi. Authorities believe the couple may have been involved in numerous other similar crimes.

 

Police have urged any additional victims to come forward by contacting the Chonburi Highway Police Facebook page or the Central Investigation Bureau.

 

Meanwhile, Mr. Athit, the rightful owner of the recovered Toyota Yaris, has expressed his gratitude to the Chonburi Highway Police for their vigilance and quick action in recovering his vehicle.

 

-- 2025-03-12