Police Arrest Foreigners For Theft and Drug Trafficking

Police report three Colombian nationals, two men and one woman, have been arrested in connection with a series of burglaries at luxury homes in Samut Prakan and surrounding districts.

Pol Maj Gen Wallop Araemlar, chief of Samut Prakan police station, stated during a press conference on Friday that the three were wanted on arrest warrants issued by the Samut Prakan Provincial Court on Wednesday for theft collusion.

On Wednesday, the suspects were detained in Pathum Thani province. A Toyota Vios with Chon Buri licence plates, two Prachuap Khiri Khan licence plates, burglary tools, beanie hats, money worth 32,700 baht, banknotes in foreign currencies, and other 100 things were seized from them.

Pol Col Chottiwat Luangwilai, deputy Samut Prakan police commander, said the arrests came after a report of a home break-in at a luxury housing estate in tambon Bang Muang of Muang district, Samut Prakan, at 10.45 p.m. on 29 Aug.

When police arrived on the scene, they discovered that a safe in a bedroom on the second story of the property had been forced open. According to Pol Col Chottiwat, 200,000 baht in cash, 500 US dollars, 50,000 rupees, gold necklaces, gold rings, and a diamond-studded necklace worth around 500,000 baht were stolen.

The Colombian group had broken into another house that same night before breaking into the residence in question, according to security camera footage from the housing development. On September 2, the same gang broke into two more houses in a Samut Prakan neighbourhood within the authority of the Bang Kaew police station.

This prompted the police to initiate an investigation, which resulted in the arrest of three Colombian individuals implicated in the home invasions.

The suspects were staying in Chonburi province in a rented residence. They’d come from this eastern province to conduct robberies in Samut Prakan and other surrounding provinces before returning to Chonburi.

Investigators learnt on Wednesday that the group was planning another house invasion in Pathum Thani province. Officers tracked their activities and eventually apprehended them with burglary tools and other goods. All were turned over to police investigators at Samut Prakan’s Muang police station.

Immigration police arrest Swede

Meanwhile, immigration police reported a 60-year-old Swedish man wanted on narcotics charges in Bangkok was apprehended on Koh Samui yesterday after being on the run for two years, police said.

On Thursday afternoon, immigration officers apprehended Reino Pentti Olavi Martin in a parking park in front of a rented residence in tambon Bo Phut on the southern tourist island.

On February 25, 2021, the Bangkok South Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Mr Martin for illegally possessing methamphetamine with intent to sell.

In 2020, he was detained in Bangkok’s Thong Lor neighbourhood and released on bail. He jumped bail, however, causing the court to issue a warrant for his arrest.

The arrest was made after authorities learnt via the Immigration Bureau’s warning system that the Swedish national was wanted in Bangkok, according to Pol Col Suparuek Phankosol, chief of Surat Thani immigration police.

Mr Martin’s visa was due to expire on December 22, 2021, according to records.

Officers began following Mr Martin’s movements, leading to his arrest. When the cops apprehended him, they immediately charged him with overstaying his visa.

He was taken to the Bo Phut police station to face the visa charge before being transferred to the Bangkok South Criminal Court to face the narcotics charge.