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MANILA, Philippines?Two Filipinos who went to Thailand as ?tourists? were arrested by Thai police for a string of robberies in Bangkok?s Chinatown district.
According to Thai media reports, the suspects were identified as Randy Luste and Peter Paul Balladares Jr.
Thai metropolitan police said the two were engaged in a ?leg-shaking? modus operandi, victimizing businessmen walking on Yaowarat Road in Samphanthawong district, Bangkok?s Chinatown.
The suspects would get near the intended victim and one of them would pretend to stumble and scatter several cell phone prepaid cards on the sidewalk. As the victim stops to help, his leg would be held fast by the first suspect while the second would then approach and pick the victim?s pockets.
Their latest victim, 58-year-old gold merchant Wirat Sirmaneethan, told police he lost about 100,000 baht (about P143,000) to the suspects last Aug. 6. He said he was about to deposit the money in a bank near his shop on Yaowarat Road when he was robbed by the two Filipinos.
A police official said the two have been wanted and have pending arrest warrants for several robbery incidents in Chinatown and nearby Bang Rak district.
