UDON THANI — 17 January 2026, Police are searching for a serial petty thief who posed as a recycling collector and allegedly stole women’s clothing, including underwear, from a self-service laundromat before taking snacks from a nearby wholesale shop.
The Kud Jab Online Isaan Indie Facebook page posted CCTV footage as a public warning after a man, believed to be about 40 years old, was seen pushing a two-wheeled cart and roaming the area to steal property. The clips show two separate incidents.
In the first, CCTV footage timestamped 01:15 on 16 January shows the suspect pushing a cart past the Baby Wash & Dry laundromat on the Kud Jab–Suwannakhuha Road, at 111 Moo 13, Muang Phia, Kud Jab, Udon Thani. The man parked the cart across the road, walked into the shop, selected customers’ laundry that had been left for washing and drying, and carried out a green basket containing women’s clothing, including several items of underwear.
The suspect is described as a slim man in his 40s, wearing a white short-sleeved T-shirt, blue jeans, black sneakers and a light-blue cap.
After leaving the laundromat, he was seen pushing his cart to a fresh snack shop in the Kud Jab municipal market area, about 200m away, at 335 Kud Jab–Nong Wua So Road. CCTV footage recorded at 03:00 the same day shows the man stealing four packs of fried soybeans and 10 packs of sweets worth a total of 760 baht, which had been displayed at the front of the shop under a tarp.
At 12:30 on 17 January, reporters visited the Baby Wash & Dry laundromat and spoke with Ms. Kittiya Mahaphet, also known as May, who attends the shop. She showed reporters the CCTV cameras and the spot where the stolen laundry basket had been placed. She said the shop has been operating for eight to nine months and had never experienced theft of this kind.
Ms. Kittiya said she recognised the suspect as someone who regularly collects recyclable waste in Kud Jab district and had previously asked for recyclables from the shop and nearby premises. “I never thought he would turn into a petty thief,” she said.
The stolen basket contained jeans, T-shirts and several items of women’s underwear, with a total value of several thousand baht. The clothes belonged to customers who had completed their washing and drying and were due to collect them. CCTV footage showed the suspect ignoring men’s clothing placed nearby and taking only women’s items.
Ms. Kittiya said she had filed a police complaint and urged the suspect to surrender. “If you turn yourself in, the punishment may be lighter,” she said, adding that the shop intends to pursue the case fully. She also asked police to arrest the suspect quickly, fearing he could target other locations.
Ms. Patcharaporn Meepuak, 35, known as Kae, the owner of the snack shop, said she has been in business for 10 years and had never encountered such an incident. She said the suspect is often seen pushing a cart to collect recyclables and appeared pitiful. “I never thought he would be a thief,” she said.
She said the man stole snacks from her shop after targeting the laundromat, parking his cart in front of the store, lifting the tarp and repeatedly carrying sweets and snacks to the cart.
“I want him to change his ways and surrender to police before it’s too late,” Ms. Patcharaporn said. She added that other market vendors had also been targeted by the same suspect but had not reported the incidents because the losses were small. “After this, I will keep all snacks inside the shop. I won’t leave them outside anymore.”
While the incident involved theft, the apparent targeting of women’s belongings raises wider concerns about crimes that disproportionately affect women. Such cases can leave lasting unease, even without direct confrontation, and serve as a reminder of the everyday safety concerns many women face, underscoring the importance of awareness and prevention within the community.