Arrest warrant issued for Chinese suspect in Pattaya robbery case

Pattaya police on Monday obtained an arrest warrant for a Chinese man accused of robbing a Chinese woman of a smartphone and cash worth more than 31,000 baht.

Pattaya Police Station said it secured the warrant from the Pattaya Court for Kaoping Gong, 30, after the alleged victim, Yang Wang, 35, filed a complaint shortly after midnight on Sunday.

Yang told police that Kaoping posed as a prospective client and robbed her after she took him to view a housing project he said he was interested in.

She said she picked him up and drove to the project in tambon Nong Plue, Bang Lamung district, Chonburi, on Sunday evening.

After viewing the house, Yang said she was about to drive him back when he used a pair of scissors to threaten and rob her. She said he tied her with adhesive tape and forced her to drive to the rear of the estate.

At that spot, Yang said, he took her smartphone and forced her to transfer 6,996 yuan to him, worth about 31,482 baht.

She added that Kaoping took her car key and was about to drive away when a Thai man approached and told them they could not park there.

Yang said Kaoping panicked and tried to drive off, but she grabbed the steering wheel, causing the car to crash into a wall and become undriveable. She then escaped and sought help from the Thai man, who took her to the police station shortly after midnight. Kaoping fled on foot, she said.

Police said they found Kaoping’s passport inside a bag left in the car, along with a pair of scissors and a gas pistol. Investigators used the passport and other belongings as evidence to seek the arrest warrant.

Police also said immigration records showed Kaoping entered Thailand via Suvarnabhumi Airport on December 23 on a tourist visa. Officers believe he has not yet left the country and have alerted immigration personnel at border checkpoints to watch for him. Police said they will also step up patrols to prevent him from fleeing via natural routes.