Patong police arrest three suspects in copper wire theft case

Patong police have arrested three Thai nationals accused of stealing electrical equipment and copper wiring from abandoned buildings in the Patong-Karon area.

The arrests were made at about 1:10 p.m. on June 24 at a deserted building on Siriraj Road in an operation led by Acting Police Colonel Korakrit Khanthakhru, superintendent of Patong Police Station, and Police Lieutenant Colonel Suchart Chumphusang, deputy superintendent of investigation.

Police said they recovered stolen property including four sacks of dismantled compressor parts weighing 67.5 kilograms, 1.5 air-conditioner condenser panels weighing 5.8 kilograms, one sack of dismantled coil fins weighing 7.8 kilograms, and one sack of stripped copper wiring weighing 13.2 kilograms.

The arrests followed a complaint filed on June 21 by a property owner who reported missing items from an abandoned building. The reported stolen goods included an Eminent-brand 12,000 BTU air conditioner, a Panasonic water heater, and electrical wiring and air-conditioning pipes.

Investigators traced the thefts to the three suspects, who police said had allegedly operated at night, dismantling and removing electrical components for resale.

The suspects face charges of joint nighttime theft under Thai law and were handed over to Patong Police Station's investigation unit for further legal proceedings.