Buriram: Police arrested a young man who tricked a lottery vendor into believing that a monk was offering to buy all of the tickets. The vendor believed him and handed over the entire lot before the man fled, but he was caught in the act.
According to Thai News Agency, the suspect, Mr. Wiraphon, 35 years old, rode his motorcycle to follow the victim, a lottery vendor. He deceived the vendor by claiming that a monk at the temple wanted to purchase all the lottery tickets. The vendor believed him and followed the suspect to the temple. The suspect pretended to converse with a monk, then approached the vendor with five white envelopes, instructing her to place all the lottery tickets inside and attach 3,300 baht in change. Trusting him, the vendor complied. The suspect then entered the church, and after a long wait, the vendor realized she had been duped when he didn't return. She promptly filed a complaint at Buriram Police Station.
Following the report, police swiftly reviewed CCTV footage, which allowed them to gather evidence leading to the suspect's arrest at a resort in Sisaket Province. They recovered 599 lottery tickets and a motorcycle as evidence before questioning him. At the police station, the suspect expressed remorse, claiming his actions were driven by unemployment. He promised to repay the vendor if released on bail and confessed to committing similar crimes in Udon Thani, Khon Kaen, Nakhon Ratchasima, Saraburi, and most recently in Buriram.
The victim recounted her shock upon realizing the deception, describing how she cried and ran around the church before reporting the incident. She expressed gratitude to the police for their prompt action in capturing the suspect. The authorities charged the suspect with 'theft using a vehicle.'