Israeli involved in Phuket heist apprehended

An Israeli suspect was arrested by Patong Police in connection with a currency exchange heist in Phuket.

The 26 year old suspect, whose identity remains undisclosed, was nabbed in a police operation orchestrated by Patong Police Chief Police Colonel Chalermchai Hernsawad.

The incident unfolded on December 31 last year in the Patong area when the suspect targeted a woman at a currency exchange. The victim’s screams for help sent the criminal fleeing. Police officers traced the Israeli national using security camera footage and arrested him this week at an undisclosed location on the island, reported Bangkok Post.

The Israeli suspect is now facing charges of attempted robbery, assault, and the additional twist of overstaying his visa. However, he maintains his innocence, denying the attempted robbery charge, as revealed by Pol. Col. Chalermchai.

In related news, Pattaya police apprehended a 19 year old Thai national, Wutthikrai Poonsang, following a robbery incident that occurred on Pattaya Walking Street on January 10. Wutthikrai is accused of snatching a gold necklace from a Thai woman named Amarin Kokaew.

Wutthikrai allegedly stole a 1 baht weight gold necklace, valued at 32,000 baht, from Amarin. The location of his arrest was a rented room on Sukhumvit Road in Central Pattaya.

Video recordings showed Wutthikrai riding his motorbike, seemingly scouting for potential victims before he targeted Amarin. After the robbery, he made his escape along Pattaya Second Road, then made a right turn onto Pattaya Central Road, and a left into Soi 14.

In other news, an armed robbery occurred at a gold shop in the Tha Sala district of Nakhon Si Thammarat, where necklaces worth 500,000 baht were stolen. A 54 year old man has been identified as the prime suspect in the case, and the police have applied for a court arrest warrant.

The motorcycle believed to have been used in the robbery has been discovered at a house in Tambon Talingchan in Tha Sala district, along with clothes that matched those worn by the robber.