Rape suspect arrested near Don Mueang Airport
>> A 45-year-old rape suspect was arrested on Friday after a police chase near Don Mueang Airport, Pol Maj Gen Theeradet Thumsuthee, a Metropolitan Police Bureau investigative commander, said yesterday.
The man, identified only as Nutthaphon, was arrested on Friday night along Vibhavadi Rangsit Road near the airport while driving, he said.
According to the investigation, Mr Nutthaphon was a chauffeur for the same company as the 22-year-old woman victim, Pol Maj Gen Theeradet said.
He said Mr Nutthaphon at one point befriended her and decided to become an IT service worker.
Mr Nutthaphon stalked her for months before he assaulted her at the end of last year, Pol Maj Gen Theeradet said.
The victim told investigators that she was raped by the suspect after returning from a company party to her office, he added.
He followed her to the office and assaulted her in the office gym, Pol Maj Gen Theeradet said, citing the victim.
The victim also said the suspect had asked her for excessively personal information that made her uncomfortable, he said.
Pol Maj Gen Theeradet said the victim reported the incident to her employer and filed a complaint at the Pracha Chuen police.
According to the investigation, CCTV footage at the office showed Mr Nutthaphon cleaning up the alleged crime scene in the gym before fleeing.
He then quit his job and fled, said Pol Maj Gen Theeradet.
Pol Maj Gen Theeradet said investigators were able to track down Mr Nutthaphon’s whereabouts.
They then managed to apprehend him in the middle of the road after a car chase on Friday night, he said.
Pol Maj Gen Theeradet said Mr Nutthaphon denied stalking the victim, claiming he was only looking out for her safety.
He also claimed he was trying to change her outfit because she was drunk and vomiting at the party, Pol Maj Gen Theeradet said.
However, he claimed he became aroused and only touched the victim’s body, he said, citing the investigation.
Pol Maj Gen Theeradet said he told police he became a freelancer after quitting his job and felt guilt for what he did.
Pol Maj Gen Theeradet said police will continue to investigate.
Mr Nutthaphon was also said to have regularly changed jobs, which made the police wonder whether similar incidents have happened to the other victims, he added.