Nine men arrested for stealing metal parts from building

CHUMPHON: -- Police arrested nine men on Tuesday for stealing metal parts from abandoned buildings.

The group reportedly confessed they sold the parts to scrap merchants at Bt14 per kilogram and earned up to Bt400,000 per time.

Following a tip that a metalstealing gang was working in a factory in Pathiu district, a team of 20 police officers surrounded the place and arrested the nine while they were cutting metal from the factory's roof structure.

Police also seized 10 tonnes of metal from the factory, along with the suspects' cutting equipment from two pickup trucks, 20 rounds of ammunition, and an account book as evidence.

-- The Nation 2008-04-15

Man,that's alot of metal too move. 400,000 Baht a time,@14 Baht a Kilo,thats 28,570Kgs,and nobody saw anything??.Fair play too the BiB,nice little earner.

Just out of intrest what happens too the 10 Tonnes seized,'''''Tea Money''''' perhaps??.

Man,that's alot of metal too move. 400,000 Baht a time,@14 Baht a Kilo,thats 28,570Kgs,and nobody saw anything??.Fair play too the BiB,nice little earner.

Just out of intrest what happens too the 10 Tonnes seized,'''''Tea Money''''' perhaps??.

Good point! How on earth can they take this much and not be seen? Well, one explanation is that the coppers don't patrol. I've been seeing major slash and burn operations going on in Phang Nga Bay National Park over the past few month. The clouds of smoke must be visible for many miles, but nothing is ever done. I report it to the dept of Nat Parks... probably wasting my time.

Was 'tea money' on the accounting spreadsheets?

Maybe these are the same guys who kamoyed the massive amount of rice

I didn't know anything was left unguarded--even an unused factory. Didn't the owner notice his room disappearing?

That's what happens when you don't pay tea money out of ALL the jobs you pull. Eventually, they turn back on you, just as rewarding to make the news once in a while.