Cash and carry con: Middle Eastern man caught stealing from Ang Thong store (video)

A grocery store security camera in the central province of Ang Thong captured footage of a Middle Eastern man swindling money and stealing products from the shop. Similar incidents of theft involving individuals of Middle Eastern descent have been reported by other businesses in the province.

Anchisa Butsunthorn, an employee of the grocery store, told Channel 7 that the theft took place around 11am yesterday, March 17. Initially, the foreign man made a purchase at the cashier counter using a 1,000-baht banknote.

However, he abruptly had a change of heart and requested a refund, prompting Anchisa to return the 1,000-baht bill to him. He then engaged Anchisa in conversation about other products in the store before selecting a different item and returning to the cashier counter.

Asserting that he had already handed over the 1,000-baht banknote to Anchisa, the man insisted on receiving change. Anchisa, inadvertently forgetting that she had already returned the 1,000-baht bill to the man, provided him with the change. Upon tallying the store’s income at the end of the day, she realised the discrepancy in the amount.

Anchisa checked the security camera footage, which proved the deceptive action of the Middle Eastern man. She also found him stealing other products from the store before leaving.

Anchisa and the store owner reported the theft to Mueang Ang Thong Police Station, where they learned that similar thefts involving this man and other Middle Eastern nationals happened at other stores in the province, as well as in the central province of Ayutthaya.

To raise awareness and caution other businesses, Anchisa and the store owner decided to share the story with Channel 7.

In a related story in November last year, business operators near the Nana Plaza in Bangkok demanded police to take action against a group of 30 Middle Eastern beggars which annoyed them and their customers.

The Immigration Bureau later investigated the case and managed to arrest 23 of them at a hotel in the area. They were identified as Jordanian nationals who lost all budget after travelling around the country. They claimed to beg for money to afford a trip back to their home country.