CHONBURI — The case of a robbery at a house of a Chinese man in Chonburi caused a stir as it later emerged that the cousin who had allegedly been kidnapped had taken a flight to China.
On July 18, Nong Prue Police Station in Chonburi received a report of a robbery at the house of a foreign tourist in a luxury village in Nong Prue, Chonburi. The investigation team notified the Tourist Police and Immigration Police to investigate the crime scene. It was a two-storey detached house of about 60-80 square meters in a luxury house estate.
Police found the homeowner, Mr. Qian Peng Yi, 34, a Chinese national, in a state of fear, with marks on his wrists and ankles indicating that they had been bound with cable ties. Inside the house, signs of a thorough search were visible on both the first and second floors. Cable ties were scattered on the kitchen floor, which the police collected as evidence.
Mr. Qian explained that he had been living in Thailand for about a year, hoping to start a family and invest in a business. At around 9 p.m. on July 17, 3 Chinese men broke into his house while he was playing a game on the mezzanine floor.
One of the intruders pointed a gun at him, forced him into a bedroom, tied his hands and feet with cable ties, gagged him and wrapped duct tape around his head. They then threatened to kill his cousin, Miss Tu Peizhi, 33, who was staying in a room upstairs, if he did not transfer 10 million baht. The intruders left the bedroom, apparently to look for valuables.
After an hour, the intruders demanded an initial transfer of 3 million baht. Mr. Qian refused and took advantage of a moment when the intruders were distracted to fight back until the cable ties came loose. He then fled the house, leaving Miss Tu alone.
While he was hiding, Mr. Qian saw the intruders leave the house with Miss Tu and drive away. He contacted a trusted person who helped him report the incident around midnight. Concerned about Miss Tu, he asked the police for help in locating her. It was initially discovered that a laptop, a cell phone and an iPad were missing.
The police investigated the scene, collected evidence and viewed the video footage up close. Although the incident appeared to be genuine, several suspicious details came to light. The investigation revealed that Miss Tu had left Thailand at around 1:00 a.m. on July 18, so further detailed investigation was required.
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