Phuket fib flops: Gambler’s robbery tale unravels with a busted alibi
A man in Phuket reported a robbery by five individuals but ended up being charged himself after admitting he fabricated the story to hide gambling losses from his wife. CCTV footage did not support his claims.
On the night in question, law enforcement was alerted at 10.30pm about a reported robbery near Bangla Mosque in Thalang, Phuket. The complainant, identified as 23 year old Natthaphon, works as a delivery driver for a convenience store located within a PTT petrol station.
Natthaphon claimed he was on a delivery run around 7.30pm when two men blocked his path.
“They demanded all my money, saying, ‘Hand over everything you’ve got.'”
He further described seeing three more individuals waiting nearby, all wearing full-face helmets. Natthaphon handed over approximately 2,600 baht (US$80) before the alleged robbers fled into the forest.
Returning to his workplace, Natthaphon recounted the incident to his wife, who appeared visibly upset but did not speak. He continued his deliveries and finished his shift at 10pm.
Later, Natthaphon was advised by Muk, the assistant store manager, to report the incident to Thalang Police. He described the robbers as thin Thai males in their twenties, each under 170 centimetres tall, wearing long-sleeved shirts and full-face helmets.
He specifically remembered two of the men: one wore a blue long-sleeve shirt and black track pants, armed with a knife approximately six inches long, and the other wore a green long-sleeve shirt and jeans, holding a white knife about ten inches long.
Fake robbery
Detectives from Thalang Police Station, including Krisana and Suchart, grew suspicious due to inconsistencies in Natthaphon’s story. They noted that he had previously reported losing over 4,000 baht (US$120) in customer payments, citing a torn bag as the reason.
At that time, he claimed he found only 20-baht notes and not the higher denominations he had lost. The store allowed him to repay the missing money in instalments.
Upon reviewing CCTV footage from the reported crime scene and surrounding areas, the police found no evidence of the alleged robbery. Confronted with the lack of proof, Natthaphon confessed to fabricating the story.
He admitted he had lied to his wife about working for a company and feared her reaction when he couldn’t produce his salary. To cover up his financial shortfall, he concocted the robbery story.
Natthaphon revealed that he had spent the money on online gambling, specifically slot games, which he had been playing for over three years. Recent losses had left him unable to manage his finances, prompting him to create the false robbery report.
Thalang Police charged Natthaphon with filing a false police report, which carries a penalty of up to three years in prison. He also faces charges related to online gambling, which could result in an additional three months in prison and a fine of up to 1,000 baht (US$30).
