Royal Thai Police Lion Dance Arrest

Thailand — Royal Thai Police officers, disguised in a red-and-yellow lion dance costume during Lunar New Year festivities, arrested a 33-year-old suspect accused of stealing approximately US$64,000 worth of Buddhist artifacts. The arrest took place on Wednesday evening in the suburbs of Thailand — Bangkok, following a report earlier this month of a home burglary involving numerous Buddhist objects and two 12-inch Buddha statues. After weeks of surveillance and few leads, officers devised the unusual plan to join a lion dance procession at a Buddhist temple in Sai Noi district, Thailand — Nonthaburi, to approach and apprehend the suspect. The suspect has a prior criminal record involving drug offenses and theft.