Bangkok: The Commander of Metropolitan Police Bureau 5 has expressed concerns about a potential insider involvement in a recent theft case involving e-cigarettes. The Commander has ruled out any police involvement in the theft, but suspects that insiders may have facilitated the crime. The police are preparing to question customs officials as part of the investigation, and five suspects have already been detained.
According to Thai News Agency, the most recent developments were discussed during a meeting at Tha Ruea Police Station, where Pol. Maj. Gen. Witthawat Chinkam, Commander of Metropolitan Police Division 5, reviewed the progress of the case. The case involves six suspects accused of breaking into a Customs Department warehouse to steal e-cigarettes, during which a security guard was killed.
An arrest warrant was issued by the Bangkok South Criminal Court for all six suspects, with four already in custody. Two suspects, identified as Mr. Bird and Mr. Ek, are currently being questioned at Tha Ruea Police Station, while Mr. King and Mr. Ji have voluntarily surrendered at Pak Chong Police Station. Additionally, Mr. Suwat or Lek has also surrendered himself. The sixth suspect, Mr. Bank, remains at large and is being actively pursued by authorities.
Mr. Bank is suspected to be the main orchestrator of the crime, having allegedly recruited accomplices. Testimonies from the apprehended suspects suggest Mr. Bank was the driver during the crime and the one responsible for striking the security guard with a vehicle. The stolen items were reportedly taken to Mr. J's house following the incident.
The suspects face multiple charges, including robbery resulting in death, theft at night, and trespassing. Mr. Bank faces an additional charge of murder. Authorities are investigating the possibility of an insider providing information to facilitate the crime, as the suspects seemed to have knowledge of which cabinets contained valuable items.
Investigations into the suspects' backgrounds revealed prior criminal records for some, including a previous robbery charge against Mr. Bank and drug-related charges for Mr. Ek and Mr. King. Despite public reports suggesting similar incidents, no formal complaints have been lodged with the police.
The police are committed to resolving the case swiftly and are reaching out to relatives of the at-large suspect to encourage their cooperation. Authorities have emphasized that no leniency will be shown, regardless of any affiliations, and are open to receiving further information from informants to aid the investigation.
Source: Thai News Agency