Pattaya —
A 21-year-old Thai man from Udon Thani province was re-arrested just five minutes after his release from prison for previously stealing money from donation boxes at various locations in Chonburi province.
The suspect, Mr. Saharat Sananthai, also known as Kim, was apprehended by Banglamung police as he exited the Min Buri Central Prison in Bangkok on July 6th, 2024. He had just completed a sentence for a previous theft conviction.
According to the police, Mr. Saharat was suspected of committing a series of thefts since May 13th, 2024, when he was disguised as an official from a well-known charity foundation to gain access to donation boxes at various locations, including hospitals, shopping malls, hotels, and airports in Chonburi. He would use fake documents to deceive staff and then open the boxes and steal the money.
In one incident, Mr. Saharat reportedly stole over 40,000 baht from a donation box at a local hospital. Police believed he had stolen around 100,000 baht from all the donation boxes.
Before his arrest yesterday, it was discovered that Mr. Saharat had been imprisoned for two months on a separate theft charge in Bangkok. Therefore, Banglamung police requested an arrest warrant from the Pattaya Provincial Court. They then waited for Mr. Saharat at the prison, and as soon as he was released, they immediately arrested him and took him to the Banglamung Police Station to face new charges.
Police said Mr. Saharat is a repeat offender who has been in and out of juvenile detention and prison since the age of 15, always for theft charges. He claimed that he turned to crime again because he was unable to find a job after his parents died.
Mr. Saharat faces charges of theft and document forgery. Police are also warning the public to be cautious against similar scams and to report any suspicious activity to the authorities.
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