Forestry employee arrested for rosewood theft

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In: South-East Asia

Discussed: 12 Nov 2024 at 14: 40

UPDATED: 12 Nov 2024 at 15: 15

Police arrest Sgt Theptawan Suriyamart, 35, a forestry employee, in Udon Thani on Tuesday after intruders attacked staff and stole 19 phayung logs and two guns from a forest conservation unit in Sakon Nakhon province on Saturday. (Photo: FM91 Traffipro)
After intruders attacked workers and stole two guns and 19 phayung logs from a forest conservation system in Sakon Nakhon state on Saturday, in Udon Thani, on Tuesday, authorities arrested Sgt. Theptawan Suriyamart, 35, a forest worker. ( Photo: FM91 Traffipro )

Intruders snatched 19 phayung logs and two firearms from a forest protection device in Sakon Nakhon state on Saturday, making one forest employee in Udon Thani arrested.

Sgt Theptawan Suriyamart of the Srithat forest unit in Udon Thani was detained on a warrant issued by the Sakon Nakhon Criminal Court, according to Surachai Achalaboon, director-general of the Royal Forestry Department ( RFD ). &nbsp,

The 6th forest management company in Udon Thani had since dismissed&nbsp, Sgt Theptawan from the company, Mr Surachai said.

He faces charges of colluding in fraud, armed intrusion, real assault or using violence or threatening to use violence, causing home injury, improper confinement and carrying firearms illegally in public, the RFD commander said.

On November 9 at the Warit-Panna forest protection unit in tambon Kud Takab in the Waritchaphum district, at least five men were involved in the robbery.

Three forest officials were beaten, tied up, and assaulted. The thieves left with 19 phayung ( Siamese rosewood ) logs worth about 800, 000 baht. Additionally, they robbed two firearms.

About 9 a.m. on Tuesday, police stopped a pickup truck on the road 227 to Waritchaphum in the Wang Sam Mo district of Udon Thani and took Sgt. Theptawan into custody, which was located about 47 kilometers away. The pickup truck and his cell phone were both impounded. &nbsp,

Sgt. Theptawan’s legal action was later turned over to police at Waritchaphum police station.

Wood from protected trees that illegal loggers had seized and were being kept at the Sakon Nakhon forest protection unit, where intruders robbed three officials on November 9 and assaulted three of them. ( Photo: Sakon Nakhon public relations office )

Wood from protected trees that illegal loggers had seized and were being kept at the Sakon Nakhon forest protection unit, where intruders robbed three officials on November 9 and assaulted three of them. ( Photo: Sakon Nakhon public relations office )

Sakon Nakhon governor Chusak Rooying, white T-shirt, leads senior officials to inspect logs and wood planks being kept at Warich-Panna forest protection unit in Sakon Nakhon on Monday. (Photo: Sakon Nakhon public relations office)

Sakon Nakhon governor Chusak Rooying, white uniform shirt, and local officials at the scene of the crime, Warich-Panna forest protection unit in Sakon Nakhon, on Monday. ( Photo: Sakon Nakhon public relations office )