Bangkok tourists warned: fake cops and transnational pickpocket gangs targeting visitors in busy areas. Police arrest an Iranian scammer posing as an undercover officer, alongside a Filipino pickpocket gang. Both preyed on foreigners carrying cash or valuables in tourist haunts. Stay alert.
Metropolitan Police in Bangkok have issued warnings to tourists, particularly those carrying cash or valuables, in the most popular areas of the capital. The first warning comes after the arrest on October 18th of an Iranian tourist who had targeted tourists while purporting to be a police officer. The culprit would identify cash in their belongings and appropriate a portion before escaping in a car. At the same time, police are also warning about organised, transnational pickpocket gangs. This comes following the arrest of the first such gang on Monday from the Philippines.
Bangkok Police this week had warnings for tourists in the capital. It followed a successful investigation by Bang Rak Police Station. Bang Rak is at the heart of the city and is home to top entertainment and shopping zones.
During August, police at the station received two disconcerting reports from tourists who were victims of theft. In both cases, the complainants spoke of being stopped by a police officer. After that, the culprit identified cash in their belongings. When he departed, they found some of it missing.
The first report was from a Pakistani holidaymaker. On August 17th, he filed a report. His name is Mr. Syed Ghazanfar Abbas Kirmani.
Pakistani tourist reports missing cash after being accosted by fake policeman near Silom Road
Before that, Mr. Syed was accosted by a man dressed in attire similar to a police officer. The encounter was on the busy Silom Road near the Decho intersection.
The alleged policeman asked to search his bag. Later, the Pakistani noticed $100 missing in $10 notes. After that, he made his way to Bang Rak Police Station to make his complaint.
Afterwards, police received a second complaint on August 31st. This time it was a Burmese man, Mr. Kan Lin, a tourist from the war-torn country. He was similarly accosted by the suspect on Silom Road, this time near the well-known MIXUE shop in Suriyawong.
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Certainly, the suspect also identified himself as a policeman. However, while searching the tourist’s bag, in particular £3,150 in cash, he dropped the notes onto the ground. At the same time, the suspect managed to pocket some of the money.
Afterwards, he assured the Burmese man that he had checked and all the money was there. He then walked away briskly and was seen getting into a white vehicle. At that point, the Burmese man and his sister smelled a rat. Indeed, they tried to chase after the con man.
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Afterwards, police at Bang Rak Police Station obtained CCTV footage of both incidents. Undoubtedly, the modus operandi was the same. Significantly, the perpetrator was heavily disguised. However, police were able to trace the cars in both instances. They were short-term rentals hired out by the criminal’s associate.
Subsequently, police identified the two men as Iranian nationals in Thailand on a tourist visa. Based on the evidence gathered police secured an arrest warrant for the suspects on September 23rd at Bangkok South Criminal Court.
One of the Iranians was arrested later on Friday, October 18th, as he attempted to leave Thailand at the Sadao Immigration Bureau checkpoint in Songkhla.
Fifty-three-year-old Mr. Ghiasi Arefhossein was arrested by Immigration Bureau officers and later handed over to the custody of Pol. Lt. Col. Somthawin Sailajak, Superintendent of Investigation, Bang Rak Police Station.
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At length, he was charged with “jointly committing theft by changing oneself or impersonating another, disguising one’s face or doing something else to prevent seeing or recognizing one’s face,” and of “deceiving oneself into believing that one is an official.”
In addition, the Iranian is charged with “using a vehicle to facilitate the commission of the crime or taking away the property, or to evade arrest.”
Furthermore, police briefing reporters have highlighted the Iranian’s use of disguise in his criminal escapades, including using a wig, face mask, sunglasses, and brown khaki-type clothes to impersonate a policeman.
In the meantime, police at Bang Rak Police Station have produced posters and are organising an awareness campaign among businesses in the key shopping district of the city. Certainly, they are concerned that the scam will continue to be repeated by other criminal types.
Tourists and foreign visitors are asked to be aware and not hesitate to ask officers for proper identification when stopped. These scams are likely to target foreign holidaymakers in well-known entertainment and tourist venues where visitors often carry large amounts of cash.
Police at Bang Rak launch awareness campaign as they anticipate further scams during the tourist season
In particular, Police Colonel, Superintendent of Investigation at Bang Rak Police Station, has asked his officers to reach out to entertainment venues, restaurants, and department stores to help inform tourists. Undoubtedly, the threat will be elevated during the forthcoming tourism high season.
During this period, Thailand expects to recover more high-spending European and American visitors to its shores.
Meanwhile, Thonglor police in the Phaya Thai district of the capital on Monday passed on another warning to tourists, significantly following the arrest of the first pickpocket gang seen in Bangkok from the Philippines.
Seven people were arrested, including three women and four men, at a hotel in the Samsen Nai area. The group ranged in age from 28 to 67.
In the city centre, they prowled areas popular with foreign tourists. The gang surrounded each victim while shielding one of their members, who slipped away with the victim’s belongings, such as wallets or cash.
Thonglor police warn tourists after arrest of pickpocket gang targeting foreigners in city centre
Indeed, police have proceeded to deal severely with this gang, who face a charge of nighttime theft. In short, the courts can impose a seven-year prison sentence.
This group entered Thailand on tourist visas. Police revealed that the gang had confessed to multiple thefts in the capital. Their modus operandi was to pass on the takings to middlemen and later fly home to collect their ill-gotten gains.
In effect, this was a professionally run pickpocket gang. Before this arrest, police had been dealing with gangs from China, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Congo.
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Further reading:
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