Police Crack Down On Cell Phone Ring

[george]

Police crack down on cell phone ring

BANGKOK: Police have made several arrests in connection with multimillion-baht cell-hone and computer thefts in Bangkok, Phrae and Chaiya-phum.

Some of the cell phones were resold at outlets including Mahboonkhrong and Panthip Plaza.

Suspect Anupong Thamajak, the proprietor of K Mobile shop on Sukhumvit 71 in Bangkok's Phra Khanong district, was arrested yesterday on charges of conspiring to commit theft, police said.

Chaichana Supanamai, 27, of Si Sa Ket and his associates were arrested on Friday at the Paradorn hotel in Phrae.

The arrest of Chaichana occurred after "Nai Nueng", one of Chaicha-na's friends, used a stolen SIM card to call his girlfriend in Phrae.

Chaichana confessed to thefts at computer and cell-phone shops in Phrae and Chaiyaphum. He said he had entered the shops by scaling electricity poles to open windows from balconies. The stolen goods were sold at his own cell-phone retail outlet at Mahboonkhrong. He implicated Anupong Thamajit as his partner in theft.

Officers involved in the case included Lt-Colonel Prasit Piyamongkon of Tao Poon police station, Captain Parinya Patiwet of Muang Phrae, and Lt-Colonel Aran Buanamuang of Chaiyaphum district.

The arrests were made following reports on October 1 by two Phrae companies, Top Viewpoint Ltd and Ehub Corp, involving the theft of Bt2 million worth of computers, cell phones, digital cameras, smart cards and computer peripherals.

Charoen Telecom Chaiyaphum Co Ltd of Phrae reported to Chaiyaphum police on January 12 that 80 cell phones had been stolen from its premises.

The goods allegedly stolen by Chaichana were also retailed at Panthip Plaza. The arrest occurred at Phrae just before Anupong began his scheme in the province. The arrest ended his plan to board a flight yesterday evening.

--The Nation 2004-01-18