Police arrested a 27-year-old man who stole 46 lottery tickets worth 4,900 baht from a 63-year-old disabled vendor, claiming he fled because his bank account balance was insufficient.
At 13:25 on 6 Jul 2016, Mr. Thanasart Fuangpiban, 63, a man with disabilities using a wheelchair, reported to Police Sub-Lieutenant Thanat Muangsing, deputy investigator at Bang Phli Police Station, that at 11:10 on 6 Jul 2016, while selling lottery tickets from his wheelchair at a gas station on King Kaew Road, Rachathewa subdistrict, Bang Phli district, Samut Prakan province, a man about 20-30 years old, approximately 155-160 cm tall, wearing a black helmet, white long-sleeve polo shirt, black long pants, and closed sneakers, pretended to select lottery tickets. He took 42 tickets—16 sets of 2-ticket bundles and 2 sets of 5-ticket bundles—and said he would get money from his motorcycle to pay. He then walked to his motorcycle and fled.
Later, at 18:00 on 8 Jul 2016, Pol. Col. Phisut Chantasuwan, superintendent of Bang Kaeo Police Station, along with deputy superintendent Pol. Lt. Col. Charoenchai Haituk, investigation officers Pol. Lt. Col. Danai Kaewnan and Pol. Lt. Col. Amnat Waenthongkam, and the Bang Kaeo investigation team, arrested 27-year-old Nantiphat, also known as James. They seized the government lottery tickets dated 16 Jul 2016—16 sets of 2-ticket bundles and 2 sets of 5-ticket bundles totaling 42 tickets—as well as a gray-black Honda Forza 350 motorcycle with Bangkok license plates used in the crime.
He was charged with theft using a vehicle to facilitate the crime or escape arrest. The suspect was apprehended at a house in Moo 8, Bang Kaeo subdistrict, Bang Phli district, Samut Prakan province, and brought to Bang Kaeo Police Station for interrogation.
During questioning, Nantiphat, or James, confessed that on 6 Jul 2016 around 11:00, he stopped at the gas station restroom and saw the lottery vendor. He approached and intended to buy 16 sets of 2-ticket bundles and 2 sets of 5-ticket bundles totaling 4,900 baht. He scanned the QR code to pay but did not confirm payment because his bank account balance was insufficient. He then went to his motorcycle and fled the scene.
After the interrogation, police formally charged him with theft using a vehicle to facilitate the crime or escape arrest. They took him and the seized evidence to the prosecutor to proceed with legal action.