Sukhumvit snatch: Thai thief nabbed for stealing 40,000 baht from Ukrainian couple

Police arrested a Thai man at his home in Bangkok’s Khlong Toei district today after he stole more than 40,000 baht from a Ukrainian couple on Soi Sukhumvit 18.

The Ukrainian couple reported to Thong Lor Police Station in the early hours of today, September 19, that a thief on a motorcycle rode up from behind and snatched a bag while they walked along Soi Sukhumvit 18.

The foreigners said the bag contained an iPhone 14, 14,000 baht in cash and a debit card. The items were valued at more than 40,000 baht.

Officers reviewed CCTV cameras near the scene until they were able to identify the thief, a 36 year old Thai man named Weerayut. The CCTV footage showed Weerayut fleeing the scene on his Honda PCX motorcycle, heading towards Khlong Toei community.

CCTV led officers to the house where Weerayut was staying. Immediately after the police entered, Weerayut ran to the second floor in an attempt to evade arrest but officers soon caught up with the thief.

In total, it took officers only five hours to track down and arrest the suspect after the complaint was first lodged by the Ukrainian couple.

Officers confiscated a number of stolen assets found in his home, including the DKNY bag, US$200 in cash, 580 baht in cash and an iPhone 12. He had already spent the Ukrainian couple’s stolen money and sold the iPhone 14.

Weerayut admitted to his wrongdoing. He revealed that he spent time in prison for theft in 2017 and was released in 2022. Attempting to turn his life around, he had sought legal employment at a supermarket. However, online gambling debts led him back to crime.

Weerayut could face three years in prison and a fine of at least 60,000 baht under Sections 334 and 336 of the Criminal Law: Committing theft by using a vehicle to facilitate the crime or to facilitate escape.

A similar case was reported in April when a Thai woman was arrested for stealing money and assets from foreigners at the Don Mueang International Airport and a shopping mall in Bangkok.

In March, police arrested a Thai woman for stealing a motorcycle from a drunk foreigner in Pattaya, and a Thai man was caught stealing a foreigner’s car in Phuket.

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