Police Apprehend Murderer on the Lam for 16 Years

Police report a man wanted for the shooting deaths of three people 16 years ago during the robbery of a truck loaded with rubber sheets has been apprehended in southern Thailand.

Police said on Friday that Theeraphong Phetteep, 52, from Pa Bon district of Phatthalung, was one of the 12 suspects caught during police raids this week at eight locations in Phatthalung and Songkhla provinces in connection with different cases.

Murder, robbery and falsifying documents were among the crimes Mr Theeraphong was wanted for. While awaiting an appeal, he jumped bail and was sentenced to life imprisonment. The details of how he has spent the last 16 years aren’t known.

His arrest was made by a combined team of police commandos and local officers in the village of Tambon Wang Mai in the Pa Bon district.

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As the kamnan of Pa Bon district in 2005, Theeraphong and nine accomplices decided to rob a truck carrying rubber sheets. In police uniforms, they set up a roadblock to stop the truck. The driver of the truck and two others on board were shot to death, and the rubber sheets were stolen.

A million Thai baht was earned when Theeraphong sold the stolen rubber sheets. The money was split between the suspects, police said. After being caught, all were sentenced to life imprisonment, but Theeraphong jumped bail while his case was on appeal.

According to authorities, 43 weapons, 237 rounds of ammunition, 42 cars and motorcycles, and some crystal meth were seized during this weeks police sweep.