Lite Beer Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 20 Kilometres Of Skytrain Track Wire 'Stolen' BANGKOK: -- Police have arrested a group of suspects accused of stealing more than 20 kilometres of copper electric wire under Skytrain tracks in Bangkok. In a press conference at the Metropolitan Police headquarters, Pol.Col. Chayanon Meesati said the first of the suspects was apprehended on 29 July and confessed he collaborated with 2 other individuals in the crime. The police then sought arrest warrants from the court and arrested the 2 other suspects.However, Pol.Col. Chayanon said 3 more suspects in the case are still on the run.According to Pol.Col. Chayanon, the group climbed ladders to reach the BTS tracks via a gap between the pillars, and the pillars helped shielded the suspects from the public eye as they worked, cutting lengths of copper wire under the tracks.The wire was hidden in sacks, according the police, the group later sold the copper wire to metal shops, and used the money to buy illegal drugs for their consumption.The suspects reportedly told the police they had worked as construction workers for the BTS project, which granted them extensive knowledge of the tracks′ structure. They also wore orange jackets worn by BTS construct workers when they performed the operation, police said.Mr. Pakdee Jirapapan, director the maintenance department of Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA), estimated that the suspects had hauled away 20 kilometres of copper wire in total, costing the authority around 10 million baht.Mr. Pakdee said the theft did not immediately affect the services, but admitted that the BTS functions could be severely disrupted in the long term. He told the reporters the BMTA would install metal grates on vulnerable locations along the tracks to avoid further theft.One of the suspects confessed to the police that he and his cohorts had been operating for a year, reaping 10 sacks of copper wire in their biggest attempt. The group then separated the money, each person receiving 20,000 baht per haul, according to the suspect.The stations targeted by the suspects are identified as Chong Nonsri, Arie, Saphan Kwai, Ekkamai, Pra Khanong, and On Nut. Source: http://www.khaosod.co.th/en/view_newsonline.php?newsid=TVRNM09UUXlNVGsyTWc9PQ==§ionid=TURVd01BPT0= --KHAOSOD English 2013-09-17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post jackr Posted September 17, 2013 Popular Post Share Posted September 17, 2013 Crike, I was expecting to read Skytrain Derailed! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post BuddyPinkham Posted September 17, 2013 Popular Post Share Posted September 17, 2013 Crike, I was expecting to read Skytrain Derailed! THAT'S NEXT! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravip Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 Crike, I was expecting to read Skytrain Derailed! Where are you from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post surangw Posted September 17, 2013 Popular Post Share Posted September 17, 2013 it usually goes missing before its installed 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metisdead Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 Off topic nonsense and trolling posts have been removed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruceky Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 i know copper has value, maybe i'm lucky but bangkok is the first place that i've had someone steal the copper pipe around the water meter in front of the house... to which i was told 'you should have left the light on out front' apparently the whole soi got hit whose lights were off 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soi41 Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 I will give the guys 10 out of 10 for creativity! The skytrain is the limit! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ekkamai Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 What was the copper wire there for in the first place? Ligtening protection? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Thai at Heart Posted September 17, 2013 Popular Post Share Posted September 17, 2013 How can you haul 20km of wire away and no one notices? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surangw Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 How can you haul 20km of wire away and no one notices? carry a clip board and supervise the guys that are doing it for you. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee b Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 It takes kickin copper for a copper to come out and knick someone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcgeekz05 Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NongKhaiKid Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 At least the coper was there to be stolen. Makes a change from all the correct paperwork, receipts, delivery notes and invoices for goods never actually delivered. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaidam Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 Heck, I would like to see a pic of the 10 million baht stash of illicit drugs the 3 of them bought for their consumption. Must have been the Thai versions of John Belushi! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webfact Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 3 held for stealing BTS wiresThe NationBANGKOK: -- Three men have been arrested for stealing copper worth more than Bt10 million from the Skytrain system's ground lines.Metropolitan Police Commissioner Lt-General Camronwit Toopgrajank announced the arrests yesterday alongside executives of BTSC, which operates the Skytrain system. Suspect Pichit Kladngern said his gang had been stealing the copper for more than a year now. BTSC officials said though the theft does not affect Skytrain services, but repairs were necessary to prevent any long-term damages. Ground lines consist of copper wires to prevent electric shocks.-- The Nation 2013-09-18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomtomtom69 Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 This story is just as stupid as this guy I knew who sold my old rusty pickup bumper for 30 Baht. The nerve and desperation of some people, unbelievable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkey4u Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 If the amount of copper on the table is from one nights work. 20 kilometers of wire will take more than 2 years to steal Maybe most was missing before these dudes got caught Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pimay1 Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 So they were cutting the ground wires and taking them. Don't know how the system is wired but this could possibly lead to a real and present danger of electrocution in some areas of the system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Water Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 (edited) 20,000 baht a haul each? These guys were making some pretty serious coin. 10,000,000 per year out of the BKK GDP now. Edited September 18, 2013 by Phil Water Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retell Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 still wonder what kind of evidence that can of ice coffee is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moe666 Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 i know copper has value, maybe i'm lucky but bangkok is the first place that i've had someone steal the copper pipe around the water meter in front of the house... to which i was told 'you should have left the light on out front' apparently the whole soi got hit whose lights were off Where I am from they find a empty house bash in the walls and strip the elect wiring and copper water pipes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trainman34014 Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 And i guess we are supposed to believe the scrap yard involved didn't think it was a just a bit suspicious that these blokes were bringing in so much copper wire ? Guess who's made the most money out of this little caper ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kananga Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Have they painted over the BTS logo yet? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phronesis Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 There will be a lot of copy cat follow ups of this crime. 4 junkies with a few thousand baht worth of hand tools netted 10 million in a year. That is 2.5 million per bloke. More than most working class Thais will see in their entire life. I just don't understand why they had to blow their fortune on drugs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metisdead Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 An off topic trolling post has been removed ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thormaturge Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 I don't believe they have caught the right people. Nobody is pointing to them in the photo. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemac Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 How can you haul 20km of wire away and no one notices? I was going to ask a similar question - is this some kind of world record for the longest thing ever knocked off ? If so congrats to the bumbling burglars. But as Thormaturge said, I will not believe they are the culprits unless someone, anyone, points at them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retell Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 (edited) How can you haul 20km of wire away and no one notices? I was going to ask a similar question - is this some kind of world record for the longest thing ever knocked off ? If so congrats to the bumbling burglars. But as Thormaturge said, I will not believe they are the culprits unless someone, anyone, points at them. easily they only took the ground-wires so if nothing short out than no-one knows they should also visit the place where they sold it cannot tell me that that guy thought i was normal to have large quantities of perfectly good copper wire for sale Edited September 18, 2013 by retell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gk10002000 Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Time for continuity checks and grounding checks of the BTS methinks. reminds me of a guy that got "caught" stealing copper wire while walking up the hill at the Electric Boat shipyard in Groton, CT herein the USA. The guy wrapped the wire around his body under his coat. Not a bad idea, but copper does have some weight to it. And if any of you are familiar with the shipyard in Groton, there is a very steep hill leading from the water up to where you park your car. The guy keeled over and died. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now