Police Arrest Pickpocket at Bangkok Vegetarian Festival
Police arrested a 45‑year‑old pickpocket named Piti‑nat at the Yaowarat Shopping Center during Bangkok’s vegetarian festival. He had been detained at least seven times before for similar theft offenses. The arrest followed a report of a woman’s phone and cash stolen at a nearby shrine on October 11.
At 12:30 p.m. on October 13, 2069, Police Major General Chaiya Petrapanya, Police Colonel Narinthot Phongphithanan, Police Colonel Prasit Wiratyaporn, and Police Lieutenant Colonel Phanupong Jindaluang directed officers to arrest Piti-nat (surname withheld), 45, together with one mobile phone, at the Yaowarat Shopping Center on Charoen Krung Road in Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok. The arrest stemmed from a theft report at 8:40 a.m. on October 11, when a 40‑year‑old woman attending the vegetarian festival at the Tao Ngo Shrine on Tanaw Road discovered her black shoulder bag had been opened, losing her phone and cash. Surveillance footage clearly showed the suspect’s appearance, leading to his identification and capture. The suspect confessed that he had infiltrated the vegetarian festival crowd to pickpocket victims and admitted to having been arrested for theft at least seven times previously. He was handed over to investigators at Samran Ratch Police Station for further legal action.
