Lt Col Thammasan Bunsong of the Wichit Police confirmed that Eakkachai Chunthong, 46, was arrested at a house in Soi Srisuthat 10, Moo 7, Rassada, yesterday (Aug 5).
Eakkachai was arrested under the two arrest warrants issued by Phuket Provincial Court earlier yesterday, Lt Col Thammasan said.
Police were alerted to the robberies at about midday Thursday last week (July 29), when Myanmar national Tun Shwe reported that he was riding his motorbike towards Chalong on Chao Fa East Rd when two men on a motorbike pulled alongside and told him to stop, Lt Col Thammasan explained.
The two men told Tun Shwe that they were police officers, and searched his motorbike. They then ordered him to hand over his bag so they could search it. The men took B4,000 in cash and his ATM card then fled on their motorbike, Mr Tun Shwe reported.
Then on Tuesday (Aug 4) Rungrote Boonmamon, 27, reported to police that he had been robbed by two men near the 7-Eleven store at Ao Makham, Wichit, at about 5:45pm.
Again, the two men identified themselves as police officers and asked to search Mr Rungrote’s motorbike. They took a mobile phone and B500 in cash from the compartment under the seat and fled the scene.
Suspicious of the two men, Mr Rungrote started video recording them with a second phone that he had on his person. In the video, Eakkachai can be seen angrily approaching Mr Rungrote, but then turns around and leaves quickly on the motorbike with his accomplice.
Through CCTV footage, officers tracked down Eakkachai to the house in Rassada where he was arrested, Lt Col Thammasan explained.
At the house, officers also found the Yamaha Fino and the clothes Eakkachai wore during the robberies, he said.
Eakkachai was taken to Wichit Police Station and charged with robbery as a group by using a vehicle to flee, Lt Col Thammasan confirmed.
Ekkachai’s accomplice was named as Phasan Chunthong.
“We are searching for him now and will arrest him as soon as possible,” Lt Col Thammasan said.