SAMUT PRAKAN: A man wanted on charges of raping three women at apartment and condominium units in Phra Pradaeng district has been arrested.
Police apprehended Wichaiyut Sukkrakarn, 33, at a rented room in tambon Bang Huasua in Phra Pradaeng on Friday afternoon, said Pol Col Chakkrapong Nutpadung, superindent of Samrong Tai police station.
The suspect was wanted under an arrest warrant issued by the Samut Prakan provincial court on Friday for allegedly raping victims who were physically helpless and trespassing.
Three women had filed complaints with Samrong Tai police that a man intruded into their rooms and forced himself on them.
The first victim was a 30-year-old factory worker in tambon Bang Ya Praek in Phra Pradaeng, and the incident happened around 3am on May 28.
The second victim, 34, was also a factory worker living in another apartment in Bang Ya Praek. The man forced himself on her around 3am on June 1.
The third was a 21-year-old university student living in a condominium in Bang Ya Praek. The incident occurred around 3am on June 3.
The suspect was caught on security camera footage. Investigators examined the footage and gathered evidence that shed light to the suspect, Pol Col Chakkrapong said.
CCTV footage shows the rape suspect climbing down from an apartment room of one of three victims.
Mr Wichaiyut was subsequently arrested and was taken to Samrong Tai police station. Angry relatives of the victims gathered at the station and tried to attack him, but police intervened and managed to keep the situation under control.
One of the three victims told police that the suspect entered her room in the early hours of May 28 while she was sleeping. She heard a sound of someone entering the room and she initially mistook the intruder as her boyfriend, who worked at night shift.
She said the man then came to her bed, and she asked him whether he was working overtime. He replied that he was tired and did not work. Upon hearing his voice and touching his hand, she realised that he was not her boyfriend.
She tried to turn on a flashlight on her mobile phone to see his face, but he sexually assaulted her, said the victim.
The suspect was held in police custody at Samrong Tai police station for legal proceedings.
Rape suspect Wichaiyut Sukkrakarn, 33, is arrested at a rented room in Samut Prakan. (Photo: Sutthiwit Chayutworakan)