Cops nab 3 for pickup hijack theft
Three men have been arrested and charged with stealing a pickup truck after throwing the owner’s wife and her two daughters out of the vehicle in Nong Khae district of Saraburi last week.
Pol Lt Gen Chaiwat Ketworachai, commander of Provincial Police Region 1, said yesterday police arrested Watcharapong Chomherm, 29, and Chatchai Raksa, 19, both from Sa Kaeo, and a 17-year-old male.
Mr Watcharapong was caught in Phuket, while Mr Chatchai was apprehended in Sa Kaeo. Police did not say when or where the other suspect was arrested.
The suspects are charged with stealing a pickup truck belonging to Boonleaur Jaewkratok which was parked at a petrol station along Phahon Yothin Road in Nong Khae district on Aug 24.
Patcharin Sae Tei, 32, told investigators Mr Boonleaur, who is her husband, was driving her and their two daughters, one aged four and the other nine, in the family’s Isuzu pickup truck from their home in Saraburi to Phetchabun when they stopped to fill up at the station.
After that, they moved their car a bit further to park outside a restaurant in the station compound. Mr Boonleaur went to the toilet and left the engine running with the rest of the family inside the truck.
Ms Patcharin said Mr Watcharapong got into the car, pointing a pen gun at her younger daughter’s head, and warned her to cooperate with him.
Mr Watcharapong drove the truck away, heading back to Saraburi. She said the suspect punched her several times after she resisted him.
The suspect stopped the vehicle about 150 metres from the petrol station. He was joined by Mr Chatchai and the 17-yearold who arrived at the scene in another pickup truck.
Mr Chatchai then got into the car, threw her and her daughters out of their truck and the suspects drove the two trucks away, Ms Patcharin told police.
Pol Lt Gen Chaiwat said Mr Watcharapong, Mr Chatchai and the other suspect are construction workers in Chon Buri.
Police said the suspects admitted to stealing the pickup truck. A fourth suspect, Narong Tienchai, 42, who is a garage owner, was also arrested for trying to buy the stolen vehicle.