Police to take tougher line on teen crime

PHUKET: Police plan to take a harder line on teenage troublemakers and adults who encourage them, Phuket City Police Superintendent Pol Col Nos Svettalekha has warned.

Announcing the teenage crime statistics for the year, at the Phuket Excise Office on March 2, Col Nos addressed in particular the continuing problems of public safety in the Saphan Hin area after dark.

“Governor Udomsak [Uswarangkura] has asked me about progress in finding the culprits responsible for the robbery of a student in the beginning of February at Saphan Hin,” he said. “We have arrested three suspects and are searching for another three.

“Many cases like this happen at Saphan Hin and we want to turn [the area] into a place where families can relax without fear.

“If we see gangs hanging around there, we will contact their parents to warn them [to control their children]. If we see adults drinking alcohol with teenagers, we will prosecute them for encouraging minors to commit an unlawful act.

“We’ve announced this before and have given out many warnings. Now plans [for tougher action] are ready.”

Col Nos announced that teenagers committed 49 cases of property theft over the past year. A total of 62 were arrested for drugs-related offenses and there were five cases of illegal possession of arms.

Under 18s accounted for 13.92% of bookings for traffic violation bookings over the past year, including riding without a license, illegal modifications to motorbikes, violation of traffic laws or a combination of these offenses.

The most common offenses by far, he said, were not possessing a valid license and riding without a helmet.