Police break up burglary ring

Two Colombian men and a Thai woman have been arrested for many burglaries across Bangkok and its adjacent provinces.

The police named them as Alvaro Gomez Pederos, 33, Adelmo Garcia Ardiia, 40, and his wife Walaiporn Khana, 25.

Digital cameras, computer notebooks, jewellery pieces, amulets and many more valuables worth several millions of baht were found in their possession.

"We traced these suspects through documents they used at a car-rental company," Metropolitan Police Commissioner Lt-General Suchat Muankaew said at a press conference yesterday.

"Although they had altered the licence plate number from 2170 to 2470 during their burglary, we managed to nail them."

Ardiia tearfully told police that he had committed the burglaries to raise money for his sick mother, and his family.

"My mom is ill. She's in Colombia," Ardiia said, "Besides, I need money to live here in Thailand."

Pederos said he was vacationing in Thailand when a fellow Colombian invited him to join his gang of burglars.

"I have since taken charge of opening a safe," the Colombian said. "I'd thought the long arm of law would never reach me."

According to the arrested suspects, Aerson Neo, who is absconding, was the gang leader. Police also found a fabricated badge stating that Neo was a reporter for NUS Service Limited.

Revealing their modus operandi, the suspects said the gang would drive into housing estates where security guards were not strict.

While Ardiia was the driver, another accomplice, 33-year-old Caolin Diyana, then got out and rang a bell in front of their targeted house to check if there was anyone inside.

If someone answered the door, Diyana would say sorry and claim she had come to the wrong address.

But if no one showed up, Neo and Thornlet Anne, also absconding, would break into the houses and steal all the valuables they could find. Waraporn, Ardiia and Pederos have already been charged with many counts relating to burglaries.

Police are set to issue arrest warrants for Anne, Diyana and Neo.

Suchart has now advised security guards to be strict about people coming in and out of their housing estates.

"Sometimes, security guards are prone to be lenient when seeing foreigners. But now, they had better be strict," Suchart said.