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http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politic ... -jewellery
DSI denies hand in missing jewellery
Mystery over items looted during protest
* Published: 21/07/2010 at 12:00 AM
* Newspaper section: News
The Department of Special Investigation has denied responsibility for jewellery missing from a shop during the red shirt protest, saying the items had not been kept at the agency.
DSI chief Tharit Pengdit said the missing jewellery was not included in DSI records showing which items were kept at its storeroom.
Forty pieces of jewellery handed over to the agency by the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) on May 20 were placed in the DSI storeroom.
The CRES received them from Pathumwan police which seized the jewellery from anti-government protesters at Wat Pathum Wanaram, when security forces dispersed the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship protest on May 19.
The DSI recorded all the items it had received from the CRES. Among them were about 40 pieces of diamond jewellery. DSI officers have taken photos of all the items. However, the jewellery items claimed to be missing were not among those recorded by the agency, Mr Tharit said.
The DSI did not pass the responsibility to soldiers or police on the issue, he said.
Mr Tharit said he had assigned Wannaphong Khacharak, commander of DSI's Information and Technology Office, and Sitthiphon Charoenphut, an official in charge of storing seized items, to investigate the alleged disappearance of the items.
The owner of Phet Siam jewellery Centre, a store in Siam Square, has lodged a complaint with Justice Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga, and claimed jewellery items worth more than 5 million baht have disappeared from the DSI's storeroom.
Two sets of jewellery were missed from the shop and later were found by Pathumwan police. The shop owner found the first set but the second set of jewellery items have disappeared.
Red shirt protesters from Ban Pong district in Ratchaburi camped in front of the shop during the rally at Ratchaprasong intersection. The shop was looted on the day demonstrators were dispersed.
Pathumwan Police Station chief Chumphon Kanchanarat said all seized items from the protesters were not with police. Some items have been returned to owners and the rest were sent to the CRES.
"I don't know what the DSI has said. All I can say is all seized items have been handed over [to the CRES]," Pol Col Chumphon said. The CRES also said all seized jewellery items were sent to the DSI.
In addition to the probe to be conducted by the DSI to shed light on the issue, Fuangwit Aniturtaewa, secretary to the minister, has also been assigned by Mr Pirapan to look into the case.
Mr Tharit said the DSI is ready to cooperate with Col Fuangwit.
A Justice Ministry source said missing jewellery items include diamond rings, diamond earrings and a diamond pendants. The source said some unauthorised people were allowed to enter the room and saw the seized items.
The shop owner has shown DSI staff pictures of the missing items. One of them is a diamond ring worth 106,800 baht.
Mr Pirapan said any officer found guilty of stealing the jewellery set will face disciplinary action along with criminal and civil lawsuits.
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