Thai police arrested a 33-year-old man for stealing $64,000 in Buddhist artifacts during a Bangkok festival, using undercover lion dancers.

Thai police arrested a 33-year-old man for stealing Buddhist artifacts worth about $64,000 during a Lunar New Year procession in Bangkok, using an undercover operation where officers disguised as lion dancers approached and detained him. The suspect, with prior theft and drug convictions, was linked to a break-in at a suburban home where two 12-inch Buddha statues and other religious items were stolen. Authorities had tracked him for weeks before executing the surprise arrest during a festive event.