Curry on thief: Pattaya market vendor fleeced by motorbike bandit
A crafty crook made off with a Thai food vendor’s cash after pulling a sneaky stunt at a bustling Pattaya market. The police fear it’s just the latest in a growing trend of brazen street thefts.
At 8.06am, yesterday, April 27, officers at Huai Yai Police Station were alerted to a snatch theft at Khao Mai Kaew Market, Pattaya. Patrol units rushed to the scene but the thief had already vanished into the morning traffic.
The victim, 60 year old curry seller Warin Phongsungnoen, told police she had been serving customers when a tall, muscular man wearing a long-sleeve shirt and trousers rolled up on a motorbike.
He pretended to order two bags of curry for 40 baht, but after she handed them over, he tossed them aside, claimed he didn’t want them, and lunged for her money basket, grabbing around 2,000 baht before speeding off, Pattaya News reported.
Similar crimes have left market traders and street vendors across Thailand fearing for their livelihoods.
Earlier this month, in a separate incident, 29 year old Jeeranan (surname withheld), a fried pork rice seller near BTS Mo Chit, Bangkok, lost over 100,000 baht after forgetting a bag of cash at her stall. When she raced back hours later, the bag had disappeared without a trace.
She reported the theft to Police Lieutenant Suphat Hemachinda at Bang Sue Police Station, desperate for help in tracking down the thief.
In another case that rattled local shopkeepers, Bangkok police recently arrested a notorious repeat offender known for targeting small vendors.
The suspect, 57-year-old Suthin, was finally caught at the entrance of Soi Pracha Uthit 10 in the Huai Khwang district after a warrant was issued by the Criminal Court. His arrest put an end to a string of food shop thefts that had plagued the area for months.
Back in Pattaya, Huai Yai Police are now reviewing CCTV footage from nearby stalls and streets in hopes of catching the motorbike bandit who left Ms Warin devastated.
Locals are being urged to stay alert and keep a tight grip on their takings — before the next thief strikes.
Latest Thailand News
Follow Thaiger on Google News:
