Nana Police officers on the run after abducting Italian tourists and demanding Bt2m ransom

[chrisrazz]

I doubt if the particular cops involved were working independently from the brass. Ultimately, they are the big fish, the lower ranks are only following orders.

[Bobobirdiebuddy]

This is absolutely terrifying. I hope the guilty will be severely punished to set an example to the police force.

Of course they will be severely punished. They will be transferred to somewhere where the tourists are more gullible.

[Baerboxer]

And not low ranking one is a police lieutenant

Police lieutenant is not a high rank.

[kannot]

This is absolutely terrifying. I hope the guilty will be severely punished to set an example to the police force.

Call Red Bull for Police justice?

[dudu]

This is actually major league crime, run by amateurs, Kidnapping,ransom demands, if they didn't pay then what, ears or fingers cut off, death? this is serious shit.

[Soutpeel]

I wonder if the Italians were nicely dressed? Italian men wear expensive clothes and I am thinking the cops picked on these guys because they looked like they had money.

One hopes the italians concerned are not members of a certain "organisation"....or the BiB might be getting visit from some associate Itailan business men and made a offer they cant refuse.....

Edited August 23, 2013 by Soutpeel

[webfact]

UPDATE:
Police Officers Who 'Kidnaps' Italian Engineer Under Arrest
By Khaosod Online

BANGKOK: -- Following complaints from an Italian expat who claimed he had been kidnapped by a group of police officers in Bangkok, the police have arrested 2 officers in connection with the crime.

Previously, Mr. Danilo Devito, 40, told the police he had been stopped by 2 Thai nationals and 1 ′central Asian′ individual dressed in police uniform as he was using an ATM in Soi Nana, the areas traversed by many foreigners in Bangkok.

According to Mr. Devito, the trio told him he was under arrest because he was using a fake debit card. He was then escorted to meet with 2 other senior ranking police officers who coerced him to pay 2 million baht in exchange with a release without any charge.

Mr. Devito said he negotiated the payment to only 1 million baht, and he was later locked up in Sawasdee Hotel at Soi Sukhumwit 57.

He said he had a chance to escape on 20 August, when the kidnappers let him contact his relatives in Italy to transfer the ransom, which he instead used the opportunity to tell them in Italian that he had been kidnapped and urged them to contact the Italian Embassy in Bangkok.


The Metropolitan Police, after they had been reported by the Embassy, eventually rescued Mr. Devito. The police said they were looking for 4 police officers and 1 Uzbekistani man.

Today, Pol. Maj.Gen. Parinya Chansuriya, Vice Commander of the Metropolitan Police, told the reporters that 2 of the suspects have been arrested, and the police are looking for 3 other suspects, presumed to still remain in Thailand.

According to Pol.Maj.Gen. Parinya, Pol.Sen.Sgt.Maj.Sathit Chansoam and Pol.Sgt.Maj.Puripas Chuenjampa, both from Thong Lo Police Station, were the arrested suspects. However, he said, Pol.Lt. Wirat Indrayod and Pol.Lt.Akranet Muthawan, both from Lumpini Police Station, and Mr. Muhiddin Sharipov are still in hiding.

Full story: http://www.khaosod.co.th/en/view_newsonline.php?newsid=TVRNM056STFNRGM1TVE9PQ==

-- KHAOSOD English 2013-08-23

[Alexpho]

Scary stuff here guys because everytime I come visit Thailand, Nana is my hang out. Last time I was there, my ATM card was skimmed and I gotta watch out for this too?

[catweazle]

I am at awe, every day anew, at reading how great Thai people are in ruining their own and their country's reputation.

Shame on that Uzbek guy and the Thais involved - may they face maximum penalty with their faces and full names out in the open for everyone to see and be excluded from the possibility of parole and pardon.

I believe that a vital info was given in this topic by a member (evildrsomkid). Thus I humbly ask to repost this info in my message a bit more detailed: Seems there is a new scam going on all over Thailand involving ATMs - an ATM card will be lying on the floor in front of an ATM, with a PIN written on the back. If you try to use this card, police or people dressed as police will approach and take you into custody to squeeze money out of you or your family for alleged ATM fraud. What have we learned today? NEVER pick up any ATM card found near an ATM, however tempting it might be - leave that card on the ground and walk away!!!!!!

Again - one of those days where I just ask myself why I love this country so much and am still here... On the other hand - stuff like this happens all over the world. Just that Thailand does not really need any more bad publicity these days - we have had our fair share already....

Edited August 23, 2013 by catweazle

[laurentbkk]

Have a Fantastic holiday in the land of smile .....

[Suradit69]

This sounds familiar.

My wife mentioned that there is a new kind of ATM scam in Thailand now. The scammers leave an ATM card with the PIN written on the back on the ground at the ATM. If someone picks it up and puts it into the machine, the cops swoop down and 'arrest' and extort this person.

" If someone picks it up and puts it into the machine, ..."

I agree that could be viewed as entrapment on some level, but if you found an ATM card on the ground and put it into the machine, your only reason for doing that would be to steal money.

And if the supposed scammers unlawfully detain someone, that's kidnapping, so why bother with the random possibility that someone who tries to steal from an ATM is going to have money to pay ransom/extortion? If you want a decent ransom you'd look for someone who looks like he/she doesn't need to search the ground looking for loose change or lost ATM cards.

I know criminal types aren't often burdened by intelligence, but this sounds like an unnecessarily convoluted way to basically steal from someone when there seems to be so many easier ways shake people down without all the drama.

Edited August 23, 2013 by Suradit69

[navara]

What can I say? This is beond corruption, those are criminals of the highest class! Without any shame they wear that police uniform, which should say " to serve and to protect ". Beside this, they are stupid to.

[thhMan]

This is another screech mark on Thailands reputation and this incident is adding to the other crazy crap that Thailand is becoming famous for. Soon the penny will drop for Thailand and they will need to work very damn hard to fix the problems internally to keep what dignity it has.

[PoorSucker]

Didn't Hong Kong do something similar to get rid of an organized crime syndicate masquerading as a national police force?

Georgia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_enforcement_in_Georgia_%28country%29

[clockman]

Make it viral, then see if effects tourism!

[LivinLOS]

Shortly thereafter the Italian police contacted the Lumpini Police Department who immediately called the hotel where the men were being held.

Just perfect... So instead of going and arresting the kidnappers.. They just phoned ahead and gave them the nod to run !!

[LuckyLew]

Punishment - they will be moved to inactive positions

[mca]

Mr. Danilo Devito

Better get my eyes tested I first read that as Danny Devito.

If this story is supposedly true I dunno how far up the chain it would really go. I reckon the high ranking cops wouldn't touch something as dodgy as this with a barge pole. Kidnapping western nationals for ransom is a bit different from ordering your boys to shakedown tourists for drugs at the bus station or whatever. The big boys are bent and devious but they're not stupid despite our opinions to the contrary. Self-preservation is their watchword.

Edited August 23, 2013 by mca

[prakhonchai nick]

They will likely be transferred to somewhere seen as less corrupt.

Oops might be Prakhonchai. But never mind, plenty of money to be made there from the underground lottery, casinos in every village, and the betting on the last digits of the stock market index.

[Guemlum]

Hope they remembered to post on Bribespot.com

[Pimay1]

I knew they would regret throwing Chalerm under the bus. He would have already has this crime solved and everyone in custody.

[worgeordie]

How will TAT spin this one, come and have an adventure holiday in Thailand,

where you will be held hostage,by the local police!

Go home and tell your friends what an exciting holiday you have had.

and the Italians came all the way to Thailand to be held for ransom,

they could have just went to Sicily.

regards Worgeordie

[rascalman]

WOW , thats getting better ..... Corrupt cops ?? As they are all corrupt anyway , its always good to know in which part of town they are.

Most corrupt in the world? Of all the many places I have been, they are tops! Congratulations!

[Lando]

It seem this country is going downhill day by day...

It won't take long before bands of criminals will kidnap foreigners and I am afraid there won't be always sloppy kidnappers who give mobile phones to the abductees, so no happy ending !

Thailand is at a turn point, they just need to decide which way to take : anarchy or civilization ?

For sure not the best way to advertize their "quality tourists" focus, one day only the "scavengers" will remain, as no fear to be kidnapped (although it's likely they would kidnap wealthier foreigners !)

[clockman]

Spread the word, and tourism dries up. Because the only thing these people respect is money! then maybe things will change.

[MegaRanter]

Danny devito should have called in his twin brother Arnold swarznegger.

[lomatopo]

I remember this kidnapping from 2007, with Police, and American-born Thais, involved:

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/04/14/headlines/headlines_30031870.php

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/116091-american-abduction/

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/116068-police-implicated-in-kidnapping-foreigners/

[Patje]

It seems they were aiming for a bit more then tea or coffee money

[mikemac]

And there I was thinking the cops were busy cracking Democrat heads in Parliament, obviously I was wrong.

[awayego]

WOW , thats getting better ..... Corrupt cops ?? As they are all corrupt anyway , its always good to know in which part of town they are.

If all cops are corrupt and bearing in mind that there are police across the entire kingdom as far as I know then they are in all parts of town, country and kingdom.

I'll just point out that it's unlikely that all cops are corrupt although I will admit that the honest ones are probably very lonely and spend their time watching their back.

It's good that something is being done about this but it will be undermined if they are convicted end up still being in the police when this is all over.

Sadly, I fear you're right. There may be the odd exception but in our neck of the woods (rural Chiang Rai) the best and most expensive houses (even by farang standards) belong to local police - one in particular quite staggering in its size and ostentation and right on the main road. Of course this area is one of the heartlands for amphetamine production and distribution so the pickings for police must be particularly good. In our small village a local policeman has built a very impressive wooden house - all with illegally procured timber from Lao (just across the river).

Not satisfied with that there is, apparently, a thriving trade in illegal Lao timber operated by the police themselves.

It beats me why questions are never asked by those 'in authority' (LOL!) how these police came to have such houses, cars and even resorts and other businesses run as a sideline.

The army come here for a few months every year and always manage to gather 'intel' leading to some big busts sometimes but does that ever include corrupt police? Never!

C'est la vie!