Bangkok police bust gang preying on sleeping motorists at night


Image: Thairath

BANGKOK: -- Police in Bangkok have announced the arrest of four gang members who were stealing from motorists sleeping in their cars by the roadside during the night.

One of the gang at a press conference even advised motorists to play it safe and sleep at gas stations rather than on the open road reported Thairath.

The gang would use their own cars or hire taxis to find people sleeping in their cars on many major roads. They would approach them pretending to be concerned citizens to warn drivers they were parked poorly or in dangerous places. But this was just a ruse to case the joint and see if they would wake up.

If they didn't wake they would break into the car and steal property. The gang has been in operation around ten years and has netted a huge amount of stolen goods over the years.

Four of nine gang members were paraded for the press yesterday. Pattana Inthaka, Umaporn Jormkoh, Wirat Pho-In and Uthai Sae-Eung were pictured with more than 50 phones and iPads they had stolen.

Police said the thefts occurred throughout the Bangkok and wider area often on major roads such as Viphawadee, Ratchadaphisek, Rama 9 or the motorway to Chonburi.

They have all admitted their crimes but Pattana spoke for the team: "We did it from midnight to 5am. We would find people who were drunk and asleep in their cars and who had often left their windows ajar. We sometimes used tools to gain entry and open locks before stealing property."

He said that he had learnt the tricks of the trade in prison.

Most valuable items were wristwatches that were sometimes worth 100,000, he said.

Finally he said: "I would advise the public that it would be safer to sleep in their cars at a gas station."

Two gang members have already been in court and detained while police are seeking another three suspects.

Source: Thairath

-- 2016-06-14

'He said that he had learnt the tricks of the trade in prison',

and I was told most Thai prisons had good educational facilities.

'He said that he had learnt the tricks of the trade in prison',

and I was told most Thai prisons had good educational facilities.

It is now confirmed then.

"sleeping motorists" - unusual word combination.

"sleeping motorists" - unusual word combination.

not really

Nice work. More gangsters busted; just wish the judiciary system dealt out harsh enough penalties.

Nice work. More gangsters busted; just wish the judiciary system dealt out harsh enough penalties.

Nice work indeed, took only ten years to catch them.

Wow , I think of the numerous times I slept in the car by the side of the road driving around in Thailand. But it is better to sleep at 24h gasstations or hospital parkings .

One time I was wakened by the police at 2 at night . It was a deserted piece of land with fruit trees. The owner had seen the car and called the police , they drove me to the Wat to sleep there. I had an excuse : I still had my red plates and couldn't find an hotel before 18h00. Lucky I didn't meet this gang.

If they didn't wake they would break into the car and steal property. The gang has been in operation around ten years and has netted a huge amount of stolen goods over the years.

Can't imagine how drunk you'd need to be to not wake up when your car is being broken into with you sleeping inside.

.....guess they never read about.....or watched....Robin Hood.....

I thought, from the headline, they drove up to level with the car, tapped on the window, then grabbed some valuables, leaving the sleeping driver to carry on sleeping - and driving.

Another good reason to keep a hatchet or something worse in your car.....

'He said that he had learnt the tricks of the trade in prison',

and I was told most Thai prisons had good educational facilities.

If they didn't wake they would break into the car and steal property. The gang has been in operation around ten years and has netted a huge amount of stolen goods over the years.

Can't imagine how drunk you'd need to be to not wake up when your car is being broken into with you sleeping inside.

My thai friend (who likes to drink) was sleeping in his car while his laptop was being stolen out of it. It was in the same area of this gang.

There must be many drunk drivers sleeping in their cars, at least they don't drive while they sleep.

just a ruse to case the joint

Someone has been reading too much 1940s fiction.

Another good reason to keep a hatchet or something worse in your car.....

Even better, don't sleep in your car.

If you can afford to run a car, a short time hotel must be affordable ?

There's a fine bit of diversion. Direct attention away from police involvement in a brothel, and onto a completely underwhelming 'great victory' that they've been 'working on' for 10 years or more.

Makes you want to shake your head and have a little cry.

Winnie

what i read in the press is that most "sleeping motorists" end up dead by hitting a solid object. i think that was the police report on many fatalities, "driver fell asleep at the wheel "

Wow , I think of the numerous times I slept in the car by the side of the road driving around in Thailand. But it is better to sleep at 24h gasstations or hospital parkings .

One time I was wakened by the police at 2 at night . It was a deserted piece of land with fruit trees. The owner had seen the car and called the police , they drove me to the Wat to sleep there. I had an excuse : I still had my red plates and couldn't find an hotel before 18h00. Lucky I didn't meet this gang.

Oh come on. You really followed that law? And used that as an excuse? How ridiculous. I only ever got pulled over once around 9pm, you show them that brown log book and write inside where you are heading and you'll be fine.

No one follows the road rules in Thailand that closely and no matter what you do, the harshest punishment you can be faced with is 1,000 Baht (for excessive speeding), which is usually reduced to 200-400 Baht in most cases. Drink driving can cost you up to 10,000 Baht.

Another good reason to keep a hatchet or something worse in your car.....

Even better, don't sleep in your car.

If you can afford to run a car, a short time hotel must be affordable ?

Well, in some cases if you are forced to drive in the middle of the night (as I have) you might find yourself falling asleep so what I do is find a petrol station and take a quick 20-minute nap (never much more than this) with my doors locked and window only slightly ajar to allow air inside. I don't stop at places where the people look suspicious so if a motorcycle gang of youths is at the station at the same time, I pull out and head for the next nearest petrol station.

Even if feeling really groggy, I move on pretty quickly afterwards. I would never sleep all night in my car - the whole idea behind taking a nap inside my car is to prevent myself from having an accident due to fatigue.

If you were forced to sleep all night in your car then you should really find yourself a hotel. They are literally everywhere in Thailand. There's also nothing wrong with just spending 4-5 hours at a hotel and departing at say 2am, which I have done.

In one case I stopped on the road side but this was during the day - I had woken up at 3.30am and departed at 4am, so by 11am I really needed a nap. Only for 30 mins though.

In this picture, there are 8 policemen. It is believed that 80% of police are taking or have been taking money they're not entitled to by their lawful jobs. Usually from graft, but with the police and the army I would say the probability is that it's always from graft.

So.. given that.

Which of the policemen in the picture are not involved in graft?

Win