BANGKOK, Thailand – Police have arrested a 42-year-old suspect accused of helping a criminal gang steal luxury cars by posing as prospective buyers, secretly swapping vehicle keys and installing GPS trackers before returning to steal the vehicles.
The suspect, identified only as Natthasit, was arrested on November 2 outside a condominium on Bond Street in Pak Kret, Nonthaburi, under a Thon Buri Criminal Court warrant. Police said he was responsible for receiving stolen vehicles, changing their registration plates to conceal their identities and passing them on to other members of the network.
The investigation began after a 44-year-old owner reported that his black Mercedes-Benz E250 CGI Saloon had been stolen from his home in Soi Anamai Ngam Charoen 25, Tha Kham, Bang Khun Thian.
Investigators traced the car through CCTV footage to the Muang Thong Thani area, where its registration plates had allegedly been changed. The vehicle was later recovered from a parking area at Tao Poon Police Station in Bangkok. A subsequent search of a room uncovered 43 items of documents and vehicle parts.
Police said the gang had identified the car through an online sales advertisement. Members contacted the owner posing as interested buyers and asked to inspect both vehicle keys. They allegedly switched one key with a duplicate and secretly attached a GPS tracking device to the car before returning later to steal it using the substituted key. Investigators described three separate roles within the operation: the person who inspected the car and switched the keys, the person who stole it, and the person who received and disguised the vehicle before passing it on.
A search of the suspect’s room also uncovered three packets of crystal methamphetamine weighing 1.92 grams, 16 rounds of 9mm ammunition, three rounds of .45-calibre ammunition and a black shoulder bag. The suspect faces four charges relating to nighttime theft from a dwelling using a vehicle, possession and use of a Category 1 narcotic, and possession of ammunition without a license. He was handed over to Tha Kham Police Station investigators for further legal proceedings.
