Two Chinese nationals arrested over involvement in thefts from cars

Two Chinese nationals were arrested on Saturday at a motorway rest stop in Chachoengsao province for attempted theft and illegal entry into Thailand, leading to an investigation into the involvement of a larger call-centre scam network.

The arrests of Zhang Jin, 38, and Zheng Hong, 31, by the Highway Police and Chachoengsao police followed a series of thefts at the Bang Pakong motorway rest stop, where a gang had been breaking into parked cars, particularly targeting credit cards.

Police obtained crucial evidence from CCTV footage at the scene, and learned about their modus operandi. Police said the gang operated systematically with members assigned specific roles. Their method involved lurking near parking spaces at the rest stop. When victims parked and prepared to leave their cars, one group would use a signal jammer to block the remote lock signal, preventing the car from locking.

Another group would then distract the victim by pretending to talk on the phone nearby, ensuring the driver did not notice the car was not locked. Once the driver left the area, a third group would move in to steal valuables from inside the car.

Police set up surveillance around the area and spotted the two arrested suspects at the crime scene. After closely monitoring their movements, officers arrested the pair as they attempted to break into two cars. When police searched their room, they found equipment used in the thefts, which was seized as evidence.

Investigation revealed that before their arrest, a 20-year-old Thai woman, who was Zheng Hong’s girlfriend, had dropped them off at the motorway rest stop and driven away. Police later expanded the investigation and searched her condominium on Rama 9 Road. Some  quantity of ketamine was reportedly found in her room, leading to her arrest.

During questioning, Zhang Jin denied the accusations, while Zheng Hong confessed. Although Zheng Hong’s girlfriend was not yet found to be involved in the thefts, she was charged with drug possession.

Following the arrests, authorities investigated how the stolen credit cards were used, and found that the cards had been swiped through a payment machine. It is suspected that the machine was linked to a merchant or location abroad. This aligns with the ongoing investigation, which suggests the group is connected to a larger call-centre scam network that has been defrauding people. 

Authorities are continuing to expand the investigation.