Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau announced the arrest of ‘Santi’ who claimed to be addicted to drugs and shot to clear his way to escape. It was found that he has a history of continuous incidents in many areas.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Noppasin Poolsawat, Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, along with Pol. Maj. Gen. Atthaphon Anusit, Commander of the Metropolitan Police Division 2, and relevant police officers jointly announced the arrest of Mr. Santi, a suspect under the Criminal Court’s arrest warrant No. 4903/2567 dated October 4, 2024, for attempted murder of an officer performing his duty, obstructing an officer performing his duty, possessing a firearm and ammunition without a permit, carrying a firearm in a city, village, or public road without urgent necessity, firing a gun without reason in a city, village, or community, and trespassing at night. While the police were arresting the suspect, he shot back at the officer and fled in Soi Inthamara 29, Intersection 3. The
incident occurred on October 3. Most recently, the suspect was tracked down and arrested at the checkpoint of Pho Klang Police Station on Mittraphap Road heading inbound. At the entrance to Ban Khlong Krabue, Village No. 7, Khok Kruat Subdistrict, Mueang Nakhon Ratchasima District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, along with the seizure of 2 firearms and ammunition.
Pol. Col. Noppasin said that after the incident, the Metropolitan Police Investigation Center, the Crime Suppression Division, Division 2, Bang Sue Police Station, and Tao Poon Police Station investigated and tracked down the perpetrators from CCTV footage. It was found that after the incident, the suspect fled across Vibhavadi Road to the Stock Exchange of Thailand building and traveled to Huai Khwang Flats to get the money he had deposited with a friend, more than 27,000 baht. He then changed into a food delivery uniform, put on a full-face black helmet, walked out to the entrance of Prachasongkhro Soi 30, and took a motorcycle taxi to Soi Ramkhamha
eng 53. He then walked along the Saen Saep Canal Road to Soi Ramkhamhaeng 65 and continued on to Soi Lat Phrao 112. He then took off his food delivery uniform and took a taxi to Pathum Thani Province. He waited until morning before taking a taxi to find a place to stay in Rangsit, Khlong 4. He stayed until evening before taking a taxi to a daily rental room in Wang Noi District. He stayed there for about 2 more days before renting a taxi for 8,000 baht to escape to the Northeast.
Later, the investigation found that the perpetrators would travel to the northeast, which is his hometown. Therefore, he coordinated with officers from various police stations along the escape route. Later, on October 7, 2014 at approximately 00.30, Pho Klang Police Station, Nakhon Ratchasima Province set up a checkpoint and found a suspicious taxi and asked to search it. It turned out that Mr. Santi ran away. The police pursued him until they were able to arrest him and search him, finding a revolver with 1 barrel and 15 rounds of
.38 ammunition. A search of Mr. Santi’s bag in the taxi found a 9 mm semi-automatic weapon with 17 rounds of ammunition.
From the investigation, it was found that there were 4 arrest warrants as follows: 1. Warrant from Amnat Charoen Provincial Court (evading bail) for theft in a dwelling, etc., 2. Warrant from Criminal Court (Tao Poon Police Station) for theft at night, 3. Warrant from Khon Kaen Provincial Court (Khon Kaen City Police Station) for theft in a dwelling, etc., and 4. Warrant from Criminal Court (Bang Sue Police Station) for attempted murder of an officer performing his duty, and obstructing an officer performing his duty.
The investigation found that the perpetrators had continuously committed thefts in many areas as follows: On 14 Sep 67, theft of 900 baht in cash and 1 bottle of liquor was committed in the area of ??Kosum Phisai Police Station, Maha Sarakham Province; on 16 Sep 67, theft was committed in the area of ??Mueang Khon Kaen Police Station; on 18 Sep 67, theft of 14 items of prope
rty worth more than 300,000 baht was committed in the area of ??Pho Klang Police Station, Nakhon Ratchasima Province; and on the same day, a home invasion was committed in the area of ??Kaeng Khoi Police Station, Saraburi Province; and on 27 Sep 67, a theft was committed in the area of ??Tao Poon Police Station. The suspects committed the crimes from Maha Sarakham, Khon Kaen, Saraburi, and finally committed the crimes in Bangkok.
Mr. Santi confessed that he was addicted to drugs and needed money to use drugs. He confirmed that he escaped on the day of the incident. As for the stolen property, he would leave the money or property with his wife so that she could exchange the stolen property. His wife did not participate in the incident. The reason he used a gun to hold the police to escape was due to stress because he had been arguing with the suspect all along. As for the gun used in the incident, Mr. Santi claimed that he got it from a friend. However, from the police investigation, it was found that the gun
was stolen. The officers will send it to the forensic science center for further examination.
In addition, Mr. Santi also confessed that the reason he fled to Yasothon Province was to rest and travel to Amnat Charoen Province to see his son again. After that, he will contact to surrender, but was arrested by the authorities first. As for the reason he had to shoot the police on the day of the incident, Mr. Santi claimed that he had run away from the police almost all the way and was tired, so he wanted to stop the police from pursuing him. As for entering the victim’s house, Mr. Santi claimed to be a police officer because he only wanted to get water. After this, the authorities will take Mr. Santi to the Police General Hospital for a physical examination and will detain him on Wednesday, October 9.
Source: Thai News Agency