Post by : Shakul

Thai police carried out an unusual undercover operation by disguising themselves as lion dancers to arrest a man accused of stealing valuable Buddhist artefacts. The arrest took place on Wednesday evening during Lunar New Year celebrations in the suburbs of Bangkok.

Police said they received a report earlier this month about a house burglary involving several Buddhist items, including two Buddha statues. The stolen items were estimated to be worth around two million baht, or approximately 64,000 US dollars. Investigators found signs of repeated attempts to break into the house.

With limited leads, officers decided to keep the suspect under surveillance for weeks. They later planned to blend in with a lion dance procession at a nearby Buddhist temple, using the festive event as cover to approach the suspect without raising suspicion.

A video released by police showed officers dressed in a red-and-yellow lion costume moving toward the suspect. At the right moment, one officer emerged from the costume and, with support from colleagues, successfully restrained and arrested the man.

Police identified the suspect as a 33-year-old male with a prior criminal record involving drug-related offences and theft. Authorities confirmed that the stolen Buddhist artefacts were recovered and the investigation is ongoing.

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