PATTAYA, Thailand – In a dramatic turn of events, a motorcycle thief was caught after crashing the stolen vehicle, which had been taken earlier that morning. The thief, who had stolen a Honda PCX motorcycle in the early hours of March 21, crashed the bike and was seriously injured, leading to his arrest.
At approximately 6:30 PM on March 21, Banglamung police officers successfully returned the stolen motorcycle to its rightful owner, Ms. Saithan Nasil, 27, who had reported the theft earlier that day.
According to Lt. Col. Pakorn, the arrest came after officers received a report of a motorcycle crash under the bridge on Katinglai Road, near Sukhumvit Road, where the rider had lost control of the stolen motorcycle and fallen. The rider, who was badly injured, was incoherent when officers arrived, and after inspecting the vehicle’s registration, they discovered it had been reported stolen earlier that morning. The police immediately contacted the motorcycle’s owner, confirming the theft and taking the thief into custody.
The motorcycle had been stolen from a rental unit in Soi Nong Krabok, East Pattaya. Ms. Saithan’s partner, Phisit Wonmuang, 30, explained that he had parked the bike outside a building while briefly visiting a friend. He forgot to take the motorcycle’s remote key from the front compartment, and after about 10 minutes, the bike had disappeared. The theft was reported to the police, and the bike’s image was shared on social media.
Later, a tourist driver who had recorded a video with his dashboard camera came forward. The footage showed a young man riding a motorcycle with a similar registration plate, riding recklessly at high speed as if racing, before crashing into a guardrail and flipping over. The police then confirmed that the motorcycle in the crash was indeed the stolen bike, and they arrested the thief.
Ms. Saithan expressed her relief and gratitude towards the police for recovering her motorcycle. Although the bike had been damaged, she planned to have it repaired and emphasized her intention to be more careful in the future.
