Sakon Nakhon: Urgent efforts are underway to apprehend five criminals who detained forest officials in Sakon Nakhon Province, stealing 19 pieces of rosewood and a government-issued firearm before making their escape. Police have discovered crucial leads and anticipate apprehending the perpetrators soon. According to Thai News Agency, the investigation team from Provincial Police Region 4, in collaboration with Sakon Nakhon City Police and forensic officers, revisited the crime scene, securing the area to gather fingerprint evidence. They also inspected the roadside, approximately 7 km from the Forest Protection Unit, Police Station 2, where the perpetrators discarded two phones belonging to forest officers.
Mr. Sarayut, a forest ranger and one of the victims, recounted that on the day of the incident, he was reporting for his daily shift when 5-7 armed men in black, wearing balaclavas, seized him. They tied his hands, covered his head, and indicated they were there only for the wood. Despite his resistance,
Mr. Sarayut was assaulted, resulting in an injury to his right ribcage.
Simultaneously, another group of criminals apprehended a forest official and his wife at their home, stealing two mobile phones, two shotguns, and ten rounds of ammunition. The criminals used an unidentified pickup truck to transport the rosewood, completing the crime in about 30 minutes.
Mr. Banluesak, another forest ranger, disclosed that one of the attackers called out his name, then broke down the door. The assailant tied him up using mosquito netting and instructed him not to resist. Mr. Banluesak and his wife were overwhelmed by the speed of the events and could not react before their mobile phone was taken. He suspected the criminals were locals based on their accents.
Mrs. Phatpimol, an administrative officer and Mr. Banluesak’s wife, added that she and her husband were caught off guard but managed to hide their phones. After the attackers fled, she promptly contacted the authorities.
The deputy commander of Sakon Nakhon Provi
ncial Police stated that the suspects fled toward Phang Khon District. Support from Provincial Police Region 4 has been enlisted, and detailed interrogations of involved officers are ongoing. Although some information about the perpetrators is known, it remains confidential pending a thorough investigation. Authorities are optimistic about capturing the gang swiftly.
The rosewood in question had been confiscated by the forest protection unit of Police Station 2 Warit-Panna in 2011. A similar theft occurred on September 8, 2024, and a complaint was lodged at Warit Bhumi Police Station. The latest incident has prompted an immediate investigation.