20 September 2024

Police and utility officials in Nang Rong district of the north-eastern province of Buri Ram searched two shop houses yesterday (Sunday), the occupants of which are suspected of stealing electricity over the past nine months.

They did not find anybody in the two shop-houses, but found several computer notebooks, 60 sets of computer accessories, Wi-Fi routers, close-circuit TV cameras and electrical distribution boards in one room and four electric fans in another room.

Utility officials checked the electrical wiring and found one of the buildings directly connected to the Provincial Electricity Authority electrical cabling, which is proof of electricity theft. They estimated losses from power theft at about a million baht.

Police suspect that the tenants of the shop-houses were involved in illegal Bitcoin mining operations.

A neighbour told the police he and his wife had never seen anybody entering either of the two shop-houses, since they opened a shop in the same neighbourhood in August.

Police said that they had found names written on parcels found in the premises and will invite those people in for questioning, adding that they will also question the building’s owner.