epidemic of car break-ins is alarming police in the inner city.

As many as seven gangs, all of them connected, are thought to be breaking into high-value cars parked in inner Bangkok, and robbing them of their valuables.

The problem has become so bad that restaurants in well-off suburbs such as Ekkamai and Thong Lor, where many of the thefts have occurred, now place signs in their windows warning patrons that smash-and-grabs from cars parked in the areas was rampant and not to leave valuables in their vehicles.


Apiprat: Fell victim to car break-in

Police are still assessing the extent of the problem, but believe the gangs are stealing millions of baht worth of goods every month.

Car break-ins were once lumped in with robberies, but police are now thinking of separating these cases and giving them special attention. They say thefts in this category are taking place almost every day.

Investigators say the gangs are highly organised and can deceive passersby into thinking they are witnessing an ordinary transaction on the street rather than a break-in.

Some of the break-ins take place in broad daylight, and the owners of the vehicles which are robbed may have been tracked for days in advance.

Apiprat Pattanadee, a deputy superintendent of the Crime Suppression Division, has fallen victim to the gang.

On March 17 he parked his Mercedes Benz at Navamin City Avenue, a small shopping mall on Kaset-Navamin Road.

Thieves broke into his car and stole 33 items of valuables including four Rolex wristwatches, gold necklaces and Buddha amulets in gold containers worth over 4 million baht.

"I parked my car around 10pm to do some shopping. I returned less than an hour later to find that someone had broken into my car and stolen my belongings.

"I took the usual precautions, such as parking in a well-lit location. I was also only 20 metres from a McDonald's.

"The restaurant was crowded but they went ahead anyway," Pol Lt Col Apiprat said.

A security camera which caught the action showed the theft took just two minutes.

On April 29, a team of CSD investigators found the gang of three that allegedly broke into his Mercedes Benz.

The gang members were identified as Sompong Klinkliang, 71, and his two sons: Chotewat, 34, and Bodinpat, 31.


A warning sign alerts customers in a food shop in Ekamai that car break-ins are rampant, and not to leave valuable goods in their vehicles. 
Sgt Maj Sompong is a former military officer who was based at a special force unit in Lop Buri.

Police say Sgt Maj Sompong is the elder brother of a well-known villain, Dam Dasakorn.

Police seized from the gang 560,000 baht in cash, Buddha amulets in gold containers, digital cameras, mobile phones, Rolex wristwatches and other valuables worth altogether about 10 million baht.

A Rolex watch belonging to Pol Lt Col Apiprat was among the seized items.

Police thought the arrest of the gang would reduce the number of car break-ins, but they were wrong.

Teeradej Thamsuthee, another deputy superintendent of the CSD, heads the team of detectives that tracked down the gang. He said that contrary to police expectations, the thefts continue, especially in Thong Lor, Ekamai and on Kaset-Navamin Road.

"We believe that at least seven gangs are behind the break-ins, and they are working together," he said.

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