Pattaya, June 7th, 2026– Police in Pattaya are hunting a gang of thieves who broke into a closed restaurant and bar, systematically stripping the entire building of copper wiring and compressor units from air conditioners and refrigerators. The culprits even stayed inside for more than a day, turning on the air conditioning and leaving behind an empty bottle of kratom water they drank while looting.
At around 5:00 PM on June 7th, Pol Lt. Jittisuk Suthinitatwong, Deputy Investigator at Pattaya City Police Station, received a report of a break-in and theft at a three-story commercial building located at 247/99-100, Soi Yensabai.
The building, which formerly operated as a restaurant and beer bar, had been closed since April as the owner prepared for renovations. Upon inspection, officers found both the first and second floors ransacked, with belongings scattered across the floors. Thieves had completely stripped all copper wiring from the building’s electrical system. They also removed the compressors from 10 air conditioning units and three freezers/refrigerators.
A single empty bottle of kratom water was found inside, believed to have been consumed by the thieves to quench their thirst during the lengthy operation. Police collected it as evidence.
The owner, Ms. Nuchanapa Siriwiroj, 30, told police she had come to the premises that day to inspect the property and begin renovation planning. Instead, she discovered extensive damage estimated at over 200,000 baht.
Neighboring CCTV footage captured the thieves’ activities clearly. On the night of June 4th at around 1:00 AM, a suspect driving a pickup truck reversed into the area beside the building. He used a stick to tilt a security camera upward to avoid being recorded, before entering and looting the premises.
Neighbors reported seeing the building’s air conditioners running continuously for more than a day and initially assumed someone had moved in. They only realized something was wrong when they learned of the theft.
Ms. Nuchanapa expressed deep frustration, noting this was the second time in six months her property had been targeted. The first incident occurred in early February.
Pattaya police have coordinated with investigators to gather evidence from witnesses and additional CCTV footage. They are actively pursuing the gang for prosecution.
