Thai man steals Russian woman’s phone after Man United bet loss
A Thai man confessed to stealing a Russian woman’s mobile phone in Chon Buri after losing all his savings betting on Manchester United to beat Liverpool in their latest Premier League match.
Man United, led by Erik ten Hag, suffered a 0-3 defeat to their rivals Liverpool during the recent game on Sunday, September 3. This loss devastated Red Devils’ fans, especially the 21 year old Thai man, Rungtawan Sakaew, who claimed he was driven to theft after this loss.
Rungtawan’s story came to light after 34 year old Russian woman, Issilu Karimova, reported her mobile phone stolen near a school for the blind in Soi Naklua 16 in the Bang Lamung district of Chon Buri at around 10.30am, yesterday, September 3.
Karimova filed a complaint at Bang Lamung Police Station, telling the police that the thief, who appeared to be about 20 years old, befriended her and offered to show her around Chon Buri and Pattaya. The man started a friendly conversation with her, asking how long she had been in Thailand.
The thief seized the opportunity when she was distracted, snatching the phone from her hand and fleeing. Karimova tried to chase after him but was unsuccessful.
Determined to retrieve her phone, Karimova joined the police in their investigation. She reviewed security camera footage with the police, eventually identifying the thief hiding in a rented room on Pattaya-Naklua Road.
Police raided the rented room yesterday and arrested Rungtawan. The stolen phone was found in his possession.
Faced with clear evidence, Rungtawan confessed to the crime, explaining that he needed money to pay off his gambling debts. He revealed that he worked as a technician and had entered the gambling scene about one to two months ago.
Rungtawan admitted that gambling, particularly baccarat and football betting, had left him with a significant debt. He lost his savings of over 130,000 baht by backing Manchester United to beat Liverpool.
The Superintendent of Bang Lamung Police Station, Kornpong Sukkawinit, told ThaiRath that Rungtawan was not a professional thief, making it relatively easy for the police to track him down. Rungtawan was charged under Section 336 of the Criminal Code for committing theft by snatching. The penalty is imprisonment for up to five years and a fine of up to 10,000 baht.
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