Cambodian man arrested in Phuket over five motorbike thefts
Phuket police arrested a 45-year-old Cambodian man in Phuket Town and said he confessed to stealing five motorbikes across the island.
A 45-year-old Cambodian man has been arrested in Phuket Town and charged over the theft of a motorbike, with police saying he later confessed to four other thefts on the island.
Investigators from Phuket City Police Station arrested Mong Yi on Mae Luan Rd at about 6:30pm on June 15.
Police said the arrest followed a complaint filed on June 8 by a motorcycle owner who reported that their motorbike had been stolen from a Bangchak petrol station opposite Wat Khosit Wihan in Phuket Town. According to police, the owner had left the key in the ignition before the theft.
Investigators led by Lt Col Kant Aksornthong gathered evidence and tracked the suspect’s movements after the report. While making inquiries in the area, Lt Col Kant reportedly spotted a man matching the suspect’s description riding the stolen motorcycle along Mae Luan Rd.
Officers stopped and questioned the rider, who police said could not produce documents proving ownership of the vehicle. He was then taken to Phuket City Police Station for further questioning.
Police said Mong Yi confessed to stealing the motorbike and admitted involvement in four other thefts across Phuket. According to investigators, he told police he had stolen two motorbikes in Karon and another two in Patong.
Police did not disclose details of the other stolen motorcycles or say whether they had been recovered. Investigators said the suspect refused to reveal whether the stolen vehicles had been sold or passed on to other people.
Mong Yi has been charged with theft using a vehicle and entering the Kingdom illegally, and was handed over to investigators at Phuket City Police Station for further legal action.
