Cops dig up ancient amulet scam
Charms 'discovered' at temple buried there by gang
Published: 29/02/2016 at 04:30 AM
Newspaper section: News
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Amulets, which are worn for protection, good health, long life or prosperity, are more than just lucky charms. They also represent a multi-billion-baht business that criminals have found ways to exploit.
Last week's arrest of an 80-year-old man in the central province of Lop Buri has confirmed that criminal activity in the phra krueng circle can take many forms.
The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) has been keeping a close watch on amulet trade-related scams after learning that ordinary folks, not just collectors, are losing their hard-earned money to scammers who deceive them into buying fake amulets.
CIB commissioner Pol Lt Gen Thitirat Nongharnphithak says the Crime Suppression Division (CSD), under the CIB, is collecting information about amulet fraudsters because scams are spreading in several central provinces where local police do not have sufficient resources to make arrests.
The fraudsters roam around and it is difficult for local authorities to pursue them.
"I take fraud and scams seriously. Some people have lost their savings to these people," he said. The CSD's crackdown on amulet scams received a shot in the arm following the arrest of 80-year-old Piyabut Prasarnkijjawattana early last week in Lop Buri's Muang district.
Mr Piyabut was arrested as a result of the CSD's crackdown on land and real estate scams. But the police search of his home led indirectly to the discovery of an amulet scam involving a gang and a former monk.
Mr Piyabut had three outstanding warrants against him for allegedly duping victims into paying for mortgaged land plots that did not exist and stealing their money.
The first warrant was issued by Chai Nat provincial court on April 12, 2010, the second by the Phetchaburi provincial court on Oct 26 the same year, and the third by the Nakhon Pathom municipal court the next month.
His arrest was made in-line with the third warrant in which he was accused of collaborating with Juea Singtokaew, an associate who was nabbed earlier, in defrauding people in Nakhon Pathom in a land scam.
The duo's trick, posing as real estate agents, was to convince their victims they had a client who wanted to sell a mortgaged land plot to an investor.
The only problem that stood in the way of the transaction was that the client was short of money to pay for the mortgage so the land was free of other obligations and could be sold. The victims were asked to fork out money to pay for the mortgage in exchange for commission fees once the transaction went through.
Police say Mr Piyabut admitted he was paid a 10% commission fee for the skimmed money and he had run similar scams before over the past two years. He claimed he lost the money gambling in cockfights.
Pol Lt Col Arun Wachirasrisukanya, who led the CSD team, said as police searched the suspect's house in Lop Buri's Tha Wung district, they found a former monk in the house and more than 30 "Phra Ruang" amulets which were seized as evidence.
After questioning, police linked the confiscated amulets to the recent discovery of ancient amulets, said to date back to the late Ayutthaya era, at a temple in Lop Buri's Muang district.
According to police, Mr Piyabut and his alleged accomplices, who were not identified, fabricated a story about unearthing a treasure trove of sacred amulets. They went to great lengths to stage the "discovery'' with the collaboration of some monks.
Mr Piyabut and others purchased the amulets, worth five baht apiece, from Bangkok's Tha Prachan area, changed the surface to make the items look old, buried them in the grounds of the temple and staged the discovery.
The gang used a backhoe to level the ground and "stumbled'' across the buried amulets. They advertised the amulets in a local newspaper on Jan 29, selling them for around 5,000-10,000 baht each.
"The victims are not just local villagers but also police. A policeman paid 70,000 baht for some of the amulets. He has yet to lodge a complaint because he feels embarrassed," said Pol Lt Col Arun.
Mr Piyabut has yet to be charged because no one has lodged a complaint to initiate a formal investigation. The CSD officer is urging victims to come forward.
Contact Crime Track: crimetrack@bangkokpost.co.th
http://www.bangkokpost.com/print/879636/
Image source: http://amuletforums.com/threads/fake-amulets-from-thaphracan.16370/page-4
Charms 'discovered' at temple buried there by gang
Published: 29/02/2016 at 04:30 AM
Newspaper section: News
.
Amulets, which are worn for protection, good health, long life or prosperity, are more than just lucky charms. They also represent a multi-billion-baht business that criminals have found ways to exploit.
Last week's arrest of an 80-year-old man in the central province of Lop Buri has confirmed that criminal activity in the phra krueng circle can take many forms.
The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) has been keeping a close watch on amulet trade-related scams after learning that ordinary folks, not just collectors, are losing their hard-earned money to scammers who deceive them into buying fake amulets.
CIB commissioner Pol Lt Gen Thitirat Nongharnphithak says the Crime Suppression Division (CSD), under the CIB, is collecting information about amulet fraudsters because scams are spreading in several central provinces where local police do not have sufficient resources to make arrests.
The fraudsters roam around and it is difficult for local authorities to pursue them.
"I take fraud and scams seriously. Some people have lost their savings to these people," he said. The CSD's crackdown on amulet scams received a shot in the arm following the arrest of 80-year-old Piyabut Prasarnkijjawattana early last week in Lop Buri's Muang district.
Mr Piyabut was arrested as a result of the CSD's crackdown on land and real estate scams. But the police search of his home led indirectly to the discovery of an amulet scam involving a gang and a former monk.
Mr Piyabut had three outstanding warrants against him for allegedly duping victims into paying for mortgaged land plots that did not exist and stealing their money.
The first warrant was issued by Chai Nat provincial court on April 12, 2010, the second by the Phetchaburi provincial court on Oct 26 the same year, and the third by the Nakhon Pathom municipal court the next month.
His arrest was made in-line with the third warrant in which he was accused of collaborating with Juea Singtokaew, an associate who was nabbed earlier, in defrauding people in Nakhon Pathom in a land scam.
The duo's trick, posing as real estate agents, was to convince their victims they had a client who wanted to sell a mortgaged land plot to an investor.
The only problem that stood in the way of the transaction was that the client was short of money to pay for the mortgage so the land was free of other obligations and could be sold. The victims were asked to fork out money to pay for the mortgage in exchange for commission fees once the transaction went through.
Police say Mr Piyabut admitted he was paid a 10% commission fee for the skimmed money and he had run similar scams before over the past two years. He claimed he lost the money gambling in cockfights.
Pol Lt Col Arun Wachirasrisukanya, who led the CSD team, said as police searched the suspect's house in Lop Buri's Tha Wung district, they found a former monk in the house and more than 30 "Phra Ruang" amulets which were seized as evidence.
After questioning, police linked the confiscated amulets to the recent discovery of ancient amulets, said to date back to the late Ayutthaya era, at a temple in Lop Buri's Muang district.
According to police, Mr Piyabut and his alleged accomplices, who were not identified, fabricated a story about unearthing a treasure trove of sacred amulets. They went to great lengths to stage the "discovery'' with the collaboration of some monks.
Mr Piyabut and others purchased the amulets, worth five baht apiece, from Bangkok's Tha Prachan area, changed the surface to make the items look old, buried them in the grounds of the temple and staged the discovery.
The gang used a backhoe to level the ground and "stumbled'' across the buried amulets. They advertised the amulets in a local newspaper on Jan 29, selling them for around 5,000-10,000 baht each.
"The victims are not just local villagers but also police. A policeman paid 70,000 baht for some of the amulets. He has yet to lodge a complaint because he feels embarrassed," said Pol Lt Col Arun.
Mr Piyabut has yet to be charged because no one has lodged a complaint to initiate a formal investigation. The CSD officer is urging victims to come forward.
Contact Crime Track: crimetrack@bangkokpost.co.th
http://www.bangkokpost.com/print/879636/
Image source: http://amuletforums.com/threads/fake-amulets-from-thaphracan.16370/page-4
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