A black magic follower was arrested after allegedly stealing the ashes of dead people to make lucky amulets.

Metheechai Jaikla, 25, was caught after Buddhist monks found that a remembrance room had been interfered with in Nonthaburi, central Thailand on June 4 .

He allegedly admitted stealing the remains so that prayers and spells could be said to them before being made into chains and sold to believers as a form of spiritual protection.

Police Colonel Chotiwat Luengwilai said: "The suspect is very superstitious and he stole the urns to take the ashes and make into amulets. He said the spirits would then reside inside them.''

The temple caretaker Preecha Saeng-orn, 30, said that dozens of brass urns had been stolen from display cabinets, decorated with images of people's loved ones.

He checked the CCTV and saw footage that shows a man sneakily inside the temple to smashed the storage units and steals the urns.

The caretaker then brought the footage to the police and they booked the report before they started looking for this man.

The police tracked the alleged offender and arrested him on Monday morning (June 15).

Officers said that Metheechai initially pleaded guilty to his crime and said that he used the ashes to make a black magic guardian angel.

Police Colonel Chotiwat Luengwilai added: "We have charged him with stealing at night time and using a vehicle to assist his criminal actions."