Norwegian’s home burgled, B600,000 missing

PATONG: A burglar made off with 600,000 baht in cash and valuables stashed in a safe that he stole from the home of a Norwegian man living on Soi Maneesri.

The victim, Oystein Karlsen, 38, told the Gazette the burglar broke into his hillside home in Soi Maneesri, located off Petchakut Rd, opposite the entrance to Simon Cabaret, between 3 am and 5 am on Sunday.

Although five people were asleep in the house at the time, the thief managed to break in though a glass door, remove the safe and other items, and escape completely undetected.

Mr Karlsen put the total value of the heist at about 600,000 baht.

Some 160,000 baht had been placed in the safe the night before by a house guest who planned to travel to Pattaya the following day, Karlsen said.

Some of the guest’s valuables were insured against theft, he added.

The safe also contained important personal documents, including passports.

Among other items missing were two video cameras, a mobile phone and a computer.

Mr Karlsen, who has lived in Patong for seven years, had nothing but praise for the Kathu Police, some 20 members of which arrived at the home less than five minutes after the theft was reported.

“To be honest the police have been fantastic and they are really trying hard,” he said adding that he thought police had some good leads in the investigation.