If you had a phone stolen – it may well be in Cambodia

Crime buster extraordinary Surachet “Big Joke” Hakpal has announced the arrest of a Cambodian woman and her gang of pickpockets preying on shoppers in Thailand.

The gang – comprised of six people including a Thai – were coming into Thailand every weekend to work at crowded shopping centers such as Platinum in Bangkok.

Ringleader Nin Lainin had previously been arrested but managed to slip away while on bail.

On display were 52 phones stolen by the gang. Their modus operandi was to use a Thai person to find the victims then the Cambodians would do the thieving.

They were stealing 40 phones each weekend and selling them back home for 3-5,000 baht each thus making 100,000’s of baht per week for the gang.

One victim said she had no idea that she had had her phone taken from her bag that did not have a zip. She was shopping at Platinum in Pratunam and guessed it happened while she was in a crowded area.

Surachet – deputy commissioner of the tourist police bureau known as Big Joke in the Thai media – said that his men would be on the lookout especially at Songkran for pickpockets.

Thai Visa / TNA

Stay updated with Samui Times by following us on Facebook.