Scammed vendors point out
the underage girl who had been using her innocent looks to steal from
them.
Boonlua Chatree
A teenage girl who parlayed her innocent looks into a
successful career as a quick-change artist is now behind bars, captured
by street vendors from whom she allegedly swindled thousands of baht.
“Pim”, 16, was detained by merchants on Soi Kophai 8
around 2 a.m. Oct. 23. Angry vendors told police the Petchabun native
had been making a habit out of tricking them out of cash and food and
was apprehended after allegedly trying a 1,000 baht scam on barbecue
chicken vendor Komsan Jetamin.
The 29-year-old vendor said Pim had ordered 10 kebabs
and paid him with a 1,000 baht note. After being given the chicken, she
then asked if Komsan wanted her to change the large bill for smaller
notes, the vendor claimed. Thinking she was simply a helpful daughter of
a local merchant, he agreed and handed over the cash, only to have her
never return.
Searching the area around Jomtien Soi 4 later, he
found her and enlisted help from other merchants.
It was then the innocent-girl fa็ade began to crack.
Other merchants said they recognized Pim as a accused scammer who’d been
playing on their good nature to rob them blind.
Grilled octopus vendor Suriya Paapjunda, 47, said
he’d been taken for 700 baht and 20 octopus skewers. Uthen Hutaprasert,
43, said his fruit cart had been taken for 3,000 baht. Oranut Ruamthum,
39, lost 1,000 from her fruit cart. Another octopus griller, Supanya
Pachunda, 41, lost 300 baht. Clothes merchant Naree Vodherng, 25, said
she was victimized for 4,200 baht and gift shop owner Achara
Dechakaisaya, 58, said she was tricked out of 4,000 baht.
Police, believing there are more victims out there,
said the girl confessed to the scams, saying she first stole from
vendors out of necessity, but now just used the money for partying and
personal expenses.
