German thief arrested after trying to return stolen cash to Phuket spa

A German tourist attempted to return stolen cash to a spa in Phuket in an apparent bid to avoid legal consequences, but the spa owner refused to drop the case and called police to have him arrested yesterday, January 20.

The incident took place at THAN Spa & Massage, located on Ranong Road in Phuket’s Talat Nuea sub-district. An employee later filed a complaint with Mueang Phuket Police Station, submitting CCTV footage as evidence.

According to the report, the theft occurred at around 5pm on Tuesday when the foreign man visited the spa with two companions for a massage.

CCTV footage shows the suspect waiting until the receptionist stepped away from the counter before slowly opening a cash drawer. He was then seen removing two 1,000-baht banknotes and placing them into his trouser pocket.

When the employee returned to the counter, the man attempted to divert her attention by asking questions about spa products on display, while the drawer remained partially open. The theft was only discovered later when staff noticed the missing cash.

After confirming the incident, the spa owner shared the CCTV footage with local news outlets and on social media in hopes of identifying the suspect and locating him. The video quickly went viral, prompting widespread criticism from netizens and increasing pressure on the foreigner involved.

Following the online exposure, the suspect returned to the spa. He was later identified as 25 year old German national Laszlo Ruben Eschenlohr. Upon his return, he reportedly apologised to staff and attempted to return the stolen money, hoping the matter would be resolved without further action.

However, the spa owner insisted on pursuing the case and immediately contacted police. Officers arrived at the spa and took the German man into custody for questioning.

During interrogation, police said the suspect broke down in tears and confessed to the theft. He reportedly claimed that he acted on impulse and deeply regretted his actions, apologising to both the spa owner and employees.

In an unexpected admission, he also handed over two pairs of slippers, telling officers that his friends had allegedly taken them after the spa treatment.

Police charged the German national with theft, an offence that carries a potential penalty of up to three years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to 60,000 baht, or both.

Officers are continuing their investigation to identify and question the two companions who were with him at the time of the incident.