Police are on the hunt for a Thai couple that allegedly employ a devious method for distracting their targets involving a cute dog or a cute baby. They have been accused of multiple thefts all over Thailand over a period of at least 9 years.
Police started investigating their alleged crimes two weeks ago, after receiving a report about 42-year-old Apichart Boonreung and his 38-year-old wife Tiyata — now known as the “dog-carrying thieves.”
Upon inspecting the couple’s house in Nonthaburi province on Aug. 9, they found about 100 stolen items from different theft cases including brand name bags, wristwatches, and at least 37 cell phones, reported Amarin TV.
Unfortunately, the perpetrators had already fled when police arrived. Their whereabouts remain unknown, and they’re on the Crime Suppression Division’s most-wanted list.
It is not clear how many crimes the couple have allegedly undertaken, but police have issued warrants for 10 cases involving the two of them, with the oldest case dating back to 2009.
Police say the duo has a distinct method to their crimes, typically conducted at local shops. They would carry a dog or a baby to appear harmless. Then one of them would ask the shop owner for help with their extensive shopping list while the other grabbed the owner’s purse.
The duo came to the public’s attention last Thursday when a drama Facebook page shared the duo’s signature method as a warning. Since then, 23 people who believe they have been the dog-carrying duo’s victims have come forward to police.
The latest case occurred on Aug. 3 in Pathum Thani province. Drugs store owner Samlee Odpanyaroj alleged that the couple stole her bag after distracting her with a cute dog and a complicated order.
Samlee said that the man, presumbly Apichart, carried a dog into her store and asked her for a long list of medicine. While she was busy help Apichart, the shop owner believes that his wife stole her bag and got away with the THB3,000 (about US$100) in cash, gold ring, and smartphone that had been inside it.
Meanwhile, in Ayutthaya, a restaurant owner only identified as 48-year-old Ladda claimed the couple stole her two purses containing cash and jewelry worth over THB200,000 (US$6,100), reported Sanook.
Ladda said that the woman came into the store first asking her about the menu. Then the man came into the store with a dog and ordered a lot of food for takeout. Before she knew it, her two bags in the kitchen were gone.
The Pathum Thani police said today that the couple may have fled to a neighboring country, though this hasn’t been confirmed. If that is the case, police will coordinate with the immigration office to continue their investigations.
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