Colombian man arrested in Patong for bag snatching incident

Friday was an unsettling day for a Russian tourist as she found herself at the receiving end of a bag snatch incident while holidaying in Patong, Thailand.

The incident occurred at the entrance of Soi Suk Charoen off Phra Mettha Road as Karolina Rusaleeva was returning to her hotel room from a nearby 7-Eleven store. An unidentified man, who later turned out to be a Colombian national, rode past her on a motorbike, snatching the 35 year old woman’s shoulder bag in the process.

Patong police swung into action swiftly after receiving Rusaleeva’s report of the incident at around 11.45pm on Friday. The police force in Thailand has been known for their impressive response time and this incident upheld that reputation. The Colombian man was apprehended at the Sweet Leaf marijuana shop in Patong on Saturday, a day after the crime.

A search of the man’s rented room at a small hotel in Karon helped recover the stolen items. Among the items retrieved were the shoulder bag, Airpod headphones, Rusaleeva’s Russian driving license, 3,000 baht in cash, a silver necklace and a silver ring. The police also seized the shirt, shorts, shoes and a red half-face helmet that the Colombian man had worn during the crime.

Furthermore, they impounded a black, Phuket-registered Honda Click motorbike that was used in the crime. The motorcycle was an essential piece of evidence as it was used to facilitate the crime and escape arrest.

The case against the Colombian man is being built by the Patong Police. He is to be charged with snatching property by using a vehicle to facilitate the commission of an offence or taking that property or to escape arrest.

While the crime has been solved and the stolen items returned, this event serves as a reminder to tourists in Thailand to always be vigilant and cautious, particularly in crowded areas.