CHON BURI: Police have arrested two men for the theft of power cables along the Pattaya-Rayong motorway that shut down the CCTV system along the inter-provincial highway last month.
Highway police apprehended Anulak Obchoo, 35, and Traiphop Buahom, 31, in tambon Huai Yai of Bang Lamung district about 12.30am on Wednesday. They were named in arrest warrants issued by the Pattaya Court.
At the house police found about 40 kilogrammes of copper, lengths of power cable totalling about 100 metres, and cable cutters.
Late last month police interrupted a gang stealing cable from the Pattaya-Rayong motorway in tambon Nong Prue of Bang Lamung district. A 38-year-old Lao man named Xammao Boutakeo was arrested. The others got away.
The gang caused about 10 million baht in damage because the CCTV system shut down along the entire 32 kilometres of the Pattaya-Rayong (Map Ta Phut) motorway, according to police.
The arrested Lao man pointed the finger at the two Thais, saying they were his bosses.
Mr Anulak allegedly told police his gang had stolen power cable from the motorway in Chon Buri and Rayong provinces about 50 times. They sold the copper in the cables to scrap shops and earned about 20,000 baht each time.
Another member of the gang was still at large, police said.