Bangkok —
At 7:30 PM on October 21st, 2024, Bang Rak police, in collaboration with Immigration officers at the Sadao Immigration Checkpoint in Songkhla, arrested an Iranian suspect accused of posing as a police officer and robbing tourists in Bangkok.
According to the police, the suspect, publicly identified as Mr. Ghiasi Arefhossein, a 53-year-old Iranian national, was accused of posing as a police officer and robbing tourists in Bangkok.
The arrest followed two major incidents of theft on August 17th and 31st, involving a Pakistani and a Myanmar tourist, in the Bangkok area.
In the first case, the Pakistani tourist reported that a man, allegedly pretending to be a police officer, stopped him, claimed to search his bag, and afterward the tourist discovered that ten 100 U.S. dollar bills were missing.
In the second incident, a Myanmar tourist, along with his sister, was approached by a man also posing as a police officer. The suspect searched their bags and stole 3,150 pound sterling. He allegedly created a distraction by dropping some of the notes on the ground while discreetly pocketing part of the cash before fleeing in a white car waiting nearby.
CCTV footage revealed that the same group of suspects committed both crimes, with one individual driving the getaway car and the other executing the thefts, according to the police.
Both suspects, identified as Iranian nationals, had entered Thailand on tourist visas. On October 18th, investigators apprehended Ghiasi at the Sadao Immigration Checkpoint as he attempted to leave the country. Police are continuing their search for the second suspect, who remains at large.
Thai authorities are urging local businesses in popular tourist areas, such as shopping malls, entertainment venues, and restaurants, to stay alert and report any suspicious activity.
Additional posters have been placed in these areas, warning tourists about scams where individuals posing as officers attempt to check their belongings. Tourists or anyone with further information are encouraged to contact local police, who are available 24/7 for further investigation.
This article originally appeared on our sister website The Pattaya News.
