Police on lookout for “mock monk’ thief

RASSADA: Phuket City Police are on the lookout for a man who wears a monk’s robe but is wanted for the theft of about 100 amulets with a total claimed value of more than 100,000 baht.

Phuket City Police Inspector Lt Col Wijak Tarom told the Gazette that police on Sunday evening responded to a call from a man claiming to have been robbed by a man dressed as a monk.

Col Wijak declined to name the victim, and the victim did not give the name of the supposed monk in his complaint to the police.

The victim told police that on Sunday evening the “monk”, who was walking past his house on Prompan Rd in Rassada, asked to stay the night. The next morning, the visitor was to continue on his way to Phuket City, Col Wijak said.

The man went to work in the morning, leaving his guest to sleep peacefully in his house. But when he returned in the afternoon, he found that about 100 amulets and three large Buddha images were missing – and so was his guest, Col Wijak added.

“The “monk” has a tattoo on each arm. He is a little overweight and has light skin. That is all we know; we don’t even know which temple he is apparently from,” Col Wijak said.

“In fact, we cannot even confirm whether he is a real monk. I have ordered police officers to be on the lookout for him,” he added.

“I cannot confirm the owner’s claim that the stolen amulets’ total worth is more than 100,000 baht, as the prices of amulets are always fluctuating,” Col Wijak said.