Patong police at 6:20pm last night arrested Watcharapong “Ek” Chomherm of Sakaeo at a guesthouse on Nanai Rd.
Ek’s warrant was issued by Saraburi police on August 26 after Mr Boonleua Jaewkratok, 32, of Chachoengsao and his wife Phatcharin Saetia, 33, filed a report with Nong Kae Police on August 24 alleging that Ms Phatcharin and the couple’s two daughters, 4 and 9, had been abducted and assaulted, before their truck was stolen.
According to the report, the incident occured at and near a PTT Petrol station in the Phaitam sub district of Saraburi’s Nong Kae district The family were reportedly on their way back to their home in Phetchabun from Chachoengsao, when they made pit stop in Saraburi some time in the middle of the night.
Mr Boonleua reported that after filling up his black Isuzu pickup truck with petrol, he parked near the restrooms and excused himself, leaving his wife and two daughters in the vehicle with the keys in the ignition and the engine still running.
That’s when the suspect reportedly opened the driver's side door, boarded and sat in the driver’s seat, pointing what looked like a home-made gun at Ms Phatcharin and her daughters, warning he would shoot if they made any moves.
The suspect then proceeded to leave the petrol station in the truck, with Ms Phatcharin and her two daughters still on board. As the suspect navigated the vehicle along a frontage road, passing a gas station nearby, Ms Phatcharin garnered the confidence to seize the steering wheel, which only angered the suspect, who then reportedly punched Ms Phatcharin in the face several times.
In the ensuing struggle, Ms Phatcharin opened the passenger side door, and was ejected from the vehicle as a another vehicle, identified as a white Toyota Vios, parked alongside the pickup truck.
A second suspect emerged from the car and helped the first suspect attack Ms Phatcharin, who refused to let go of the door handle of the pickup truck, concerned with the safety of her two children inside.
One of the suspects then reportedly grabbed the two young girls and threw them out onto the street, before both suspects in the two vehicles fled the scene.
The family was soon safely reunited and reported to the police station.
Police checked CCTV footage from a neighboring shop and were able to determine that the white Toyota Vios belonged to a woman from Khon Kaen. Police showed a picture of the Khon Kaen woman to the victims, who confirmed that she looked like one of the suspects.
Mr Watcharapong has been charged with conspiring to theft at night and using a motor vehicle to flee the scene, and is in the process of being extradited back to Saraburi.
Police did not comment on the second suspect.