Duo Thai nationals arrested for car-loan theft fraud

Police arrested a man and a woman for allegedly stealing a car pledged as collateral for a 30,000 baht loan, refusing to return it when the owner tried to pay back the money owed.

Police believe the two suspects are part of a gang of embezzlers running a car-loan fraud.

Pol Maj Gen Montree Thetkhan, commander of the Crime Suppression Division, said on Tuesday that police arrested Tharet Poolairiab, 29, and Supaporn Jit-on, 31, on Monday for alleged embezzlement and acceptance of the stolen property.

Police seized from them a Honda CR-V sports utility vehicle.

The commander said the car had been left with Ms Supaporn as collateral for a 30,000-baht loan. The debtor had applied for the loan from the administrator of the Facebook page “money car”, and received 25,000 baht after the initial fee deduction from the loan capital by the creditor.

The debtor wanted to repay the loan two months later but Ms Supaporn failed to return the car, saying it was at a used car shop in Bangkok. The car owner then found out that the vehicle was for sale on another Facebook page.

The borrower filed a complaint with Ban Ped police station in Khon Kaen province. The case was subsequently transferred to the Crime Suppression Division in May.

CSD superintendent Pol Col Wiwat Jitsopakul said undercover officers arrested Mr Tharet in a sting operation, pretending they wanted to buy the pledged car, on Lat Pla Khao Road in Bang Khen District, Bangkok, on Monday.

Mr Tharet said he was hired to deliver the vehicle. He only worked for the creditor.

Shortly after his arrest, Ms Supaporn turned herself in at Ban Ped police station in Muang district of Khon Kaen.

She denied all charges. However, police found she had a record of similar cases. Nine charges of embezzlement, fraud and computer crime had been brought against her this year.

Pol Col Wiwat said it was believed she was part of a gang that had sold about 100 cars worth about 100 million baht that were pledged as loan collateral.

The investigation was being extended.

SOURCE: NEWS AGENCIES