A Rayong man has been arrested for allegedly burglarizing cars in East Pattaya.
Manop Boothcharoen, 55, was brought to a Nongprue police news conference July 18 after officers allegedly caught him red-handed with Buddha amulets, two mobile phones, wallets and cash.
Burglary victim Nimit Ketnate, 34, was present to claim his belongings. His car was broken into May 20 near Mabprachan Reservoir with the thief smashing his windshield and stealing 14,000 baht in amulets.
Subsequent thefts in the area prompted police to set up a sting operation July 17. Around noon, Manop showed up on his motorbike and allegedly attempted to break into setup vehicle. Police confronted him and he attempted to escape but was unsuccessful.
Manop confessed he had been breaking into cars for some time and two times recently. He would steal any valuables including amulets, money, electronics or other items that may be worth cash. He still had all of the Buddha amulets that he had stolen, which were found in his room in Huay Yai, but the cash was already gone, he said.
Manop also confessed he had been imprisoned previously for burglary.
