Pol. Maj. Gen. Suthee Prommali, Commander of Metropolitan Police Division 3, announced the arrest of a suspect who used a gun and knife to rob a resort employee in Minburi. The suspect claimed he was upset because his girlfriend did not come to meet him at the resort as planned. Police traced CCTV footage and found the suspect wearing a motorcycle taxi vest while fleeing, but he was ultimately caught.
At 13:00 on 20 Oct 2016 at Minburi Police Station, Pol. Maj. Gen. Suthee Prommali, Commander of Metropolitan Police Division 3, along with Pol. Col. Somphot Thongmool, Superintendent of Minburi Police Station, and Pol. Col. Komsap Thongkamnithivirakul, Acting Superintendent of Investigation Division, announced the arrest of Mr. Phubet Khankaew, 41, from Maha Sarakham Province. Confiscated items included a red Yamaha GRAND FILANO motorcycle with license plate 1 กศ 2283 Narathiwat, one mobile phone, one folding knife, a dark blue long-sleeve shirt, black pants, one pair of slippers, an orange motorcycle taxi vest with number 23, and 7,000 baht in cash.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Suthee said that on 19 Oct 2016 at about 04:15, Miss Nan Nu Yee, 22, a Myanmar national working at a resort office on Bueng Kwang Road, Saensaeb Subdistrict, Minburi District, Bangkok, was threatened with a gun and knife by a tall man wearing a long-sleeve shirt, long pants, and a black hood, riding a red motorcycle of unknown make and license plate. The assailant slightly injured her face, then stole approximately 10,000 baht in cash, a CCTV server valued at about 10,000 baht, and one mobile phone worth about 6,000 baht before fleeing.
Later that day, Pol. Maj. Gen. Suthee ordered Lt. Thassapon Mahattanon, Sgt. Prajak Kulnapun, and Sgt. Chamnan Phoanoi to investigate CCTV footage capturing the crime. They clearly identified the suspect fleeing on a motorcycle as Mr. Phubet Khankaew, 41. Investigation revealed he had hidden in an unregistered rented room at the end of Soi Triam Phatthana 20, Intersection 5, Suan Luang Subdistrict and District, Bangkok. Police went to the location and arrested him in front of the room.
Mr. Phubet showed signs of confused speech typical of drug use. A preliminary urine test (methamphetamine) by the Government Pharmaceutical Organization was positive. A sample was sent to Nopparat Rajathanee Hospital for confirmation, which also tested positive for methamphetamine use.
Mr. Phubet confessed he used to work as a security guard but was currently unemployed. He admitted to using methamphetamine and committing the robbery at the resort. He said the motive was being upset that his girlfriend did not come to meet him at the resort, although they had met there once before.
On the day of the crime, he saw the victim alone and took the opportunity. After the robbery, he removed the CCTV server and wore a motorcycle taxi vest belonging to his younger brother over his long-sleeve shirt to disguise himself. While fleeing, he discarded a fake gun and the CCTV server in a trash bin. He hid the stolen items under the motorcycle seat, then parked the motorcycle on Ratchadaphisek Road at Soi 36, Intersection 19-8, Chantharakasem Subdistrict, Chatuchak District, Bangkok, before taking public transport home. Police later recovered the items.
He was charged with armed robbery causing physical or psychological harm and illegal use of Category 1 narcotics (methamphetamine).
The suspect and seized evidence were handed over to Minburi Police Station investigators for further legal action.