Chinese pickpockets caught at Airport Link

Three members of a Chinese pickpocketing gang, and stolen valuables, are displayed at a police press conference at Suvarnabhumi airport on Wednesday night. (Photo by Sutthiwit Chayutworakan)

Three members of a gang of Chinese pickpockets preying on lone travellers have been arrested at Suvarnabhumi airport, police said.

The three men -- Feng Huafeng, 31, Liu Xiaocheng, 28, and Bai Shengming, 34 -- were apprehended on the ground floor of the Airport Link station at Suvarnabhumi on Wednesday night, Pol Col Archayon Kraithong, deputy commander of the Tourist Police Division, said at a police press conference.

The trio were among six members of a Chinese gang wanted on arrest warrants issued by the Samut Prakan provincial court for colluding in thefts at the airport, he said.

Police confiscated stolen cash in several foreign currencies worth about 180,000 baht, three credit cards, five smartphones and one stolen wallet.

Pol Col Archayon said the arrest came after a Swedish traveller filed a complaint with police at the airport that pickpockets had lifted his wallet at the Airport Link station at Suvarnabhumi on Aug 28. His wallet contained cash worth about 20,000 baht and credit cards.

Police examined footage from surveillance cameras and watched six members of the Chinese gang pickpocketing the victim. The gang mostly targeted lone tourists, police said.

The three detained suspects initially denied the charges, but police took them back to their hotel in Ratchathewi and a search of their room found the Swede's stolen wallet and credit cards.

Police were hunting for the three other gang members, who remained at large.