A total of 159 guns, mostly handguns, have been stolen from Pak Kret police station’s storage over the past five years, allegedly by non-commissioned police officer Chaowalit Pumkajorn, according to Pol Maj-Gen Pananchai Chuenjaitham, deputy commissioner of First Region Provincial Police Bureau.
He said that it was initially believed that 160 guns had been stolen, but one of them, an M-4 assault rifle, had not disappeared but had actually been distributed to a police officer for use.
The stolen weapons include 134 handguns, mostly Glock and Sig Sauer semi-automatic pistols, and 25 M-16 and M-4 assault rifles.
So far, 30 guns have been recovered, including 27 which were found in a bag, placed at the front of the police club on Vibhavadi Rangsit highway yesterday (Thursday). The haul included 25 revolvers and two M-4 assault rifles.
Chaowalit allegedly admitted that he stole 2-3 guns at a time from Pak Kret police station and then falsified documents to indicate that the guns had been distributed for use by officers at the station.
Pol Maj-Gen Pananchai claimed that the number of guns kept at the station is not excessive and is in line with the number of police officers stationed there. He warned those in possession of the stolen weapons to surrender them to the police. Failing that, they may be prosecuted for handling stolen goods.
Meanwhile, it is reported that the superintendent of Pak Kret police station has been transferred to the operations centre of Region 1 Provincial Police Bureau, pending an investigation into the gun theft.
Meanwhile, Deputy Government Spokesperson Traisuree Traisoranakul said today that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has instructed the police to try to recover all the stolen weapons and to tighten up control of all firearms kept at all police stations.
