CREDIT: MCOT

Bangkok: Metropolitan police have arrested a Colombian man who allegedly joined a gang of five burglars that has broken into at least seven Bangkok houses, including one of an immigration officer.

The arrest of Miguel Antonio Caro Garcia, 51, was announced at the Metropolitan Police head office by Pol Maj Gen Chanthawit Ramasutra, deputy commissioner of the police bureau.

Chanthawit said the Metropolitan Police has coordinated with the Immigration Bureau to hunt for four Columbian accomplices of Garcia.

He said Garcia was arrested while driving a white Mitsubishi Pajero on Chalong Krung Road in Bangkok’s Lat Krabang district. The SUV was allegedly used by the gang in the burglaries.

Also displayed at the press conference were a Seiko watch, a Smith and Wesson Model 686 .357 revolver, a Smith and Wesson .22 pistol and a Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol.

Chanthawit said his subordinates planned the arrest after empty safe boxes that have been pried open were found left in remote spot in the Suwanville housing estate on Soi Khumklao 60 in Lat Krabang.

Investors anticipated that the thieves are foreigners because they left amulets and pistols found in safe boxes. Police believe the thieves did not know the values of amulets and guns in Thai markets.

Police checked feeds from security cameras near the houses that have been broken into and learned the identities of five suspects.

Chanthawit sad Garcia has a Thai wife but she was not arrested as she knew nothing about the crimes.

He said the gang member rented a house to hide the stolen safe boxes. They drove to housing estates and broke into houses whoses owners were away. They checked it by ringing the door bell of the houses.

The victims included Pol Lt Somchai Maneerat, an immigration officer. His house on Soi Ramkhamhaeng 178 in Min Buri district was broken into on December 6 and the gang made off with a safe box with nearly Bt1 million worth of valuables.

once Pol Lt Somchai Maneerat, got robbed, the investigation got intense ?

i recall there was another gorup of columbian thieves several years ago? I bet somebody knew one of these guys remotely or otherwise.

If they get away with this for whatever reason, I would advise them to stay well clear of that officer when they goto immigration !! 555

Holy shiiiiite these colombian guys are operating internationally, we got a lot of colombian thieves in Turkey too. Some guy was robbed after making a withdrawal from a bank in Istanbul, last week.

The Immigration Officer must have been targeted because of him flaunting unusual wealth. No investigation into that I guess.

Investors anticipated that the thieves are foreigners because they left amulets and pistols found in safe boxes. Police believe the thieves did not know the values of amulets and guns in Thai markets.

Police believe...

Good arrest BIB.

And its such a good arrest that it takes ELEVEN (count them!) officers standing in a group at the press conference!

Eat your heart out Colombo, Sherlock Holmes, etc !!!

These 'pointing' sessions are the BIB equivalent of selfies.

Looks like he went into the wrong house LOL

broken into at least seven Bangkok houses, including one of an immigration officer.

Seriously, the locals better step up their game, as the stealing, murdering and embezelment brigade from abroad are taking LOS by storm. Thailand = the United Nation of criminals.

Didn't know the value of amulets or guns??? Burglars have no class these days.

Ah! But they knew the value of a car number plate with 8888 on it.

And its such a good arrest that it takes ELEVEN (count them!) officers standing in a group at the press conference!

Eat your heart out Colombo, Sherlock Holmes, etc !!!

Do you believe any Thai or foreign police forces deploy teams of 1 officer to tackle armed robbers?

The suspect seems unharmed and they all seem to be acting professionally. I can't see they have failed to do their jobs here.

Colombo and Sherlock Holmes are fiction. The lone maverick cop busting whole gangs of armed thugs is not actually real you know.

(Unless we are talking about all the off duty armed Brazilian cops you can see on liveleak.com shooting robbers dead at the drop of a hat).

once Pol Lt Somchai Maneerat, got robbed, the investigation got intense ?

Happened in my neighborhood once ,Policeman's gun got stolen -- intense investigation around the area, however I bet the mans Thai partner knows the value of black market guns!.

The victims included Pol Lt Somchai Maneerat, an immigration officer. His house on Soi Ramkhamhaeng 178 in Min Buri district was broken into on December 6 and the gang made off with a safe box with nearly Bt1 million worth of valuables.

Of which I'm sure he can prove to the insurance company what all the items were... backed up by photographs, receipts of purchase or receipts of cash transactions.

Looks like he went into the wrong house LOL

broken into at least seven Bangkok houses, including one of an immigration officer.

Yes, sometimes these fools make really bad mistakes...

like the black dude in Queens who mugged John Gotti's mother some time ago.

"Chanthawit sad Garcia has a Thai wife but she was not arrested as she knew nothing about the crimes"

She genuinely believed he was working as a Spanish teacher indeed..

They should not leave the amulet of protection from arresting. Rookie mistake.

Seiko watch must not forget that i remember getting my first seiko at Argos £8.99

ahhhh.... kinda missing the finger point

The story says that the culprits were suspected to be foreigners because they left guns and amulets behind… is this stuff for real, the police think it was foreigners because they left the guns behind but the man they arrested had three guns, oh yes and a seiko watch.

You couldn’t make this stuff up… hold on, that’s not true, they just DID.

Immigration guy knows how to save his money on his salary lol

Just remember...

Columbia has no boundaries....

Welcome to diversity Thailand......

Immigration Officer with 1million in valuables tucked away. As said above a good saver. Or being immigration plod Hmmm Hmm ! .Nah ! take care of the satang and the Baht will take care of themselves.

An excellent bust and good work by the RTP, while the nationality of the perps may be worth a news article in itself, any arrest in connection to robbery is a good one.

If the gang's unscientific MO was to ring a door bell to find out whether a house was empty, then I fear it was only a matter of time before they "walked in" on some poor unsuspecting resident or maid.

I don't normally like speculating or hypothesizing, but it wouldn't seem to be a massive leap to see the potential for an increase in the severity of this gangs crime, the fact that they are (now) off the street and out of harms way is an excellent result...

Organised break in,s looking for specific information from specific targets so allegedly who is the big boss of the gang and who chose the property’s to burgle, dodgy enough houses that they needed to be armed with hand guns.

Makes you wonder why Colombians come to Thailand ?

Same climate , same prices (maybe not in Bogota) , hotter & cheap women in Colombia , easier for dope of all kinds ,....

What are they doing here , that they can't do better at home ?

Buenas suerte at the Bangkok Hilton!!

And its such a good arrest that it takes ELEVEN (count them!) officers standing in a group at the press conference!

Eat your heart out Colombo, Sherlock Holmes, etc !!!

Do you believe any Thai or foreign police forces deploy teams of 1 officer to tackle armed robbers?

The suspect seems unharmed and they all seem to be acting professionally. I can't see they have failed to do their jobs here.

Colombo and Sherlock Holmes are fiction. The lone maverick cop busting whole gangs of armed thugs is not actually real you know.

(Unless we are talking about all the off duty armed Brazilian cops you can see on liveleak.com shooting robbers dead at the drop of a hat).

Chill out !! All I m saying (in a jocular way I thought ) is that the apprehension of a single house breaker in the UK or USA would be day to day normal mundane business and wouldnt merit a press conference, certainly not with eleven officers lined up !!