An arrest warrant had been issued by police in Phetchaburi yesterday after it was confirmed the couple had stolen 45 Apple-branded iPhones and iPads from a shop in Mueang Phet in the western province, estimated to be worth millions of baht, before fleeing to Phuket.
The couple, named by police as 26-year-old Mallika Chumraksa and 27-year-old Aree Phattharachokchai, then took to selling the stolen loot at the Lotus’s hypermarket in Phuket Town.
Police officers from the repsective provinces liaised and exchanged information, including specifics on the arrest warrant, before Pol. Lt. Col. Suriya Rattanaphan from Mueang Police Station led a team to the shopping venue around 8am this morning.
The couple both confirmed their identities before police presented the arrest warrant. They then searched Ms Mallika’s bag where they found several of the stolen items before the couple led them to their car, a rented blue Mazda CX-5, in the car park which contained the remainder of the stolen loot.
Officers subsequently made the arrest and escorted the pair to Mueang Police Station where they will be detained before being transferred back to Phetchaburi to face local charges of theft and selling stolen goods.
After initial questioning it was confirmed that Ms Mallika had stolen the goods on Apr 3 from the mobile phone shop in Phetchaburi before feeling with Mr Aree to Phuket.
Ms Mallika confessed that she was millions of baht in debt from illegal loans she had taken out which is why she took to stealing the iteams and attempting to sell them.
Of note, it was not revealed in police reports whether the couple had actually managed to sell any of the stolen goods at the Lotus’s store in Phuket.