Four Suspects Detained over Lopburi Armoury Thefts

Published : September 23, 2010 :: 16:09:40 [ 1,495 views ]

A Royal Thai Army employee and three civilian accomplices have been arrested by Thai authorities in connecting with munitions stolen from the Lopburi Army Base last week, according to Thai media reports.

Bangkok, the 23^rd of September 2010: A military employee working at the base was questioned on Wednesday after investigations and DNA tests linked him to the missing munitions site. He later confessed to authorities that he and four friends had broken into the armoury to steal the weaponry.

Allegedly, the five men then smuggled the ammunition, including 9,000 7.62mm cartridges and 35 rocket-propelled-grenades selling them onto an unnamed third party.

Three other members of the group, civilians, were also apprehended by Thai authorities, while the fifth is still fugitive. They were identified from DNA evidence left at the scene on a pair of scissors, several screwdrivers, metal cutting pliers and bottles.

Lopburi provincial court gave authorities approval for the five arrest warrants on the grounds of breaking and entering military property and theft. Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan has since revealed suspicions that the five men are involved in a larger arms smuggling operation.

The case of the missing arms, rumoured in the press for over a week, were only officially confirmed on Monday by Thai Army chief Gen Anupong Paochinda, with Thai premier Abhisit Vejjajiva’s involvement in the case expected to have prompted such a rapid response to the missing munitions.

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