Thief poses as courier, steals Rolex watches worth 615,000 baht
A seller of vintage goods experienced a distressing incident when a thief impersonated a courier to retrieve a package containing two Rolex watches valued at 615,000 baht.
Despite reporting the crime to the police three times, they were less than helpful and the case was dismissed as a civil matter, leaving the victim without recourse.
The victim, 36 year old Sarayout Thongyot shared his ordeal, highlighting the events that unfolded on the evening of November 27. He had sent the package from a distribution centre on Ratchaphruek Road in Nonthaburi.
At around 5.50pm, a CCTV camera captured footage of a man in a green long-sleeved shirt riding a red motorcycle towards the courier centre. Inside, the same individual, now wearing a rider’s full-face helmet, approached a female employee, presented a mobile phone purportedly displaying a tracking slip, and requested the cancellation of the shipment.
After verifying the details on the computer, the employee handed over the package to the man.
The CCTV at the centre caught the thief leaving with the package at 5.55pm, placing it between his legs on the motorcycle as he prepared to escape. Meanwhile, Sarayout was waiting nearby, expecting a bank transfer from the buyer, who had identified himself as Natthaphon from Chiang Rai.
Organised plan
The watches were listed on a trading page, and a potential buyer contacted Sarayout via phone and LINE at around 5pm, agreeing to purchase the watches for a total of 615,000 baht. The buyer mentioned a nearby courier centre for dispatch and asked Sarayout to wait for a money transfer confirmation before proceeding.
Sarayout complied, sitting and waiting for the money just 100 metres away from the courier.
After waiting 15 minutes, he checked with the courier only to discover that the package had already been collected. Sarayout questioned the courier company’s procedures. Typically, cancelling a shipment requires the original slip and the sender’s ID.
Sarayout also expressed frustration over the police’s handling of the case. Despite providing evidence from CCTV footage and making multiple visits to the police station, he was told the issue was not criminal. The courier company also refused responsibility, claiming Sarayout might be a fraudster sending an empty box.
Sarayout is resigned to the financial loss but hopes the police will show more interest in the case, considering the substantial amount involved. He admitted he might have to accept the money as lost, but if recovered, he plans to donate it to charity.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the complaint documents were merely filed for record-keeping and not for pursuing legal action. Sarayout’s friend, a police officer, helped trace the suspect’s phone number, which remains active but unanswered. The number is registered under a foreign name, reported KhaoSod.
