Motorcycle Owners Capture Alleged Thief Through Online Sting Operation

PATTAYA, Thailand – A group of motorcycle owners turned the tables on an alleged thief by arranging to buy back a stolen motorcycle after finding it advertised for sale online, eventually detaining the man who delivered it in Jomtien. The incident took place around noon on Sept. 10 on Sukhumvit Road in front of the Ambassador Jomtien Hotel in Na Jomtien, Sattahip district, Chonburi. According to 33-year-old Chatchawan Boonsomthop, a friend of the motorcycle’s owner, 32-year-old Praphat Thapsaeng, the black Honda Wave 125, registration 1 Kor Sor 4009 Chonburi, was stolen at about 8 a.m. on Sept. 9. The motorcycle had been parked outside a row of rented rooms in Soi Ruam Suk 5 in Nongprue, Banglamung, when the suspect allegedly took it and rode away. The owner subsequently reported the theft to Nongprue Police Station. Later that afternoon, at about 3 p.m., a younger acquaintance spotted a motorcycle advertised for sale on social media for 22,000 baht. After seeing photographs of the motorcycle, the owner recognized it as the one reported stolen earlier that day. The group then contacted the seller and arranged to buy the motorcycle back. The seller reportedly claimed that the motorcycle was legally owned but that its registration book remained with the finance company. The owners continued with the arrangement and transferred 10,000 baht as a deposit before agreeing to meet for the handover on Sept. 10. When a man arrived riding the motorcycle, the owner and his friends immediately detained him and recorded the encounter on video as evidence. The man reportedly claimed that an older acquaintance had stolen the motorcycle and that he had only been instructed to deliver it. He allegedly said he would receive 2,000 baht for making the delivery. The group did not accept his explanation and contacted police, who took him into custody for further investigation and legal proceedings. Police will determine the man’s exact involvement in the theft and online sale as the investigation continues.