PATTAYA, Thailand – Thieves broke into the office of the Pattaya Transport Cooperative (Baht-Bus) office in Naklua during the weekend, ransacking the premises, causing significant damage and stealing valuable items.
The stolen goods included four mobile phones belonging to cooperative members, several bank account books, and important office documents. Additionally, the burglars emptied the office refrigerator of food and beverages before making their escape.
Banglamung police collecting evidence on July 8, revealed the extent of the intrusion, with scattered documents and deposit books belonging to members strewn across the office floor. The steel safe, compromised by the thieves, had been forcefully opened.
Rewat Chiangchin, Chairman of the Pattaya Transport Cooperative, expressed dismay over the incident. Staff members arriving for work on Monday morning discovered the aftermath of the burglary, prompting the temporary closure of the cooperative office. The stolen mobile phones usually found by baht-bus drivers on their vehicles are kept in the office until their rightful owners reclaimed them.
There were no signs of forced entry at the front door, suggesting that the perpetrators accessed the office through the less visible mezzanine entry point. The cooperative office, which operates from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and remains closed on weekends, plays a crucial role in managing 712 vehicles across four concession routes, including 166 taxis serving Pattaya residents and visitors.
Pol. Lt. Apinan Srithongrungrit assured the public of on-going efforts to arrest the culprits. Police are collecting fingerprints and reviewing CCTV footage from the scene to aid in their investigation.
