Thai officers disguised as lion dancers arrested a man accused of stealing $64,000 in Buddhist artefacts during Lunar New Year festivities.

BANGKOK: Thai police employed an unusual undercover tactic to apprehend a theft suspect during Lunar New Year celebrations.

Officers disguised in a red-and-yellow lion dance costume arrested the man on Wednesday evening following a reported home burglary in a Bangkok suburb.

The burglary, reported earlier this month, involved numerous Buddhist objects and two 12-inch Buddha statues. Police said there was also evidence of repeated attempts to enter the house.

With few leads, officers maintained surveillance for weeks before devising their unique plan. They joined a lion dance procession at a nearby Buddhist temple to get close to the suspect.

“Officers gradually moved closer to the suspect before arresting him,” police stated.

A released video shows the festive lion dancers approaching the man before an officer suddenly emerges from the costume’s head. With colleagues’ assistance, they pinned the suspect to the ground.

Police estimated the value of the stolen items at around two million baht (USD 64,000). The 33-year-old suspect has a prior criminal record involving drug offences and theft.

 The Sun Malaysia