Two freelance rescue workers have been arrested by Thai police on theft charges. Five automated external defibrillators (AEDs) were found in their possession during a raid on a house in Bangkok’s Taling Chan district on Thursday.
One of the suspects, 37-year-old Rungroj, reportedly told the police that he used to work as a freelance rescue worker and had seen AEDs being installed at several public places.
He also said that he needed money to repair his car and decided to steal the devices, adding that he stole the first one near Thepsirin Temple and then five more, after the first one sold at a good price.
Rungroj claimed that he asked his friend Veerayuth, also a rescue worker, to find buyers for the stolen AEDs, but Veerayuth was arrested.
The police say that they do not believe that Rungroj only stole six of the life-saving devices.
A post on the “Drama-addict” Facebook page on Tuesday claimed that 27 AEDs have gone missing, probably stolen, from numerous locations in Bangkok, adding that some of the devices have been offered for sale on social media in Bangkok, prompting the police to launch an investigation.
The AEDs were purchased by the Thai Red Cross Society, using public donations, and they were installed in public venues, including several police booths, for emergency use if someone suffers cardiac arrest.
Each of the devices costs about 35,000 baht.
