High stakes: Phuket shop owner rolls up on thieves for a taste of revenge

One of the cannabis shop owners in Phuket, who fell victim to two foreign thieves, yesterday tracked down the suspects and physically assaulted them at their accommodation.

Several cannabis shop owners in Phuket reached out to other vendors to warn them after losing products to the two foreign thieves, whose identities remain undisclosed. CCTV footage from some of the ganja shops showed the thieves stealing entire jars of products from each shop.

The Phuket Times reported that more than 10 shops were robbed, with losses amounting to over 100,000 baht.

The latest update on the case, reported today, October 24, revealed that the two thieves are now in police custody. Their arrest was not due to a police investigation but rather the actions of one of the victims.

One victim disclosed to the media that he tracked the thieves on his own until he located their accommodation in the Chalong district of Phuket yesterday. He admitted that he was extremely angry and rushed to physically assault both of them.

The owner later called the police to the scene to arrest the suspects. Pictures shared in the media showed that a rescue team also attended the scene to provide first aid to the injured foreigners.

The shop owner told the media that he acknowledged that physically assaulting the thieves was wrong and illegal but felt compelled to do so because the case was being ignored by the police. He and other victims submitted all evidence to the police but the case made no progress.

The owner stated that the two thieves would have continued their criminal acts, leading to further losses if he did not intervene. The owner also shared the video of himself at the thieves’ accommodation with the media. He was heard saying…

“Hello! How are you? Okay? You f*cking bastard! You messed with the wrong man!”

The media reported that the foreign thieves are currently being held at Chalong Police Station. Any cannabis shop owners who have fallen victim to these thefts are now encouraged to report the matter to the police station.

ORIGINAL STORY: Weed out the thieves: Phuket cannabis shops on high alert after 100k baht heist

Cannabis shop owners in Phuket issued a warning regarding two foreign thieves who stole over 100,000 baht worth of cannabis from several shops across the province.

The victims urged the Phuket Times to warn other cannabis shops in the province to be cautious of two young foreigners posing as customers and taking the opportunity to steal products.

The page included pictures of the two thieves, clearly showing their identities. Two CCTV videos of the thefts, which took place in different shops, were attached in the comments section.

In the first video, the two foreign thieves entered a cannabis shop without removing their motorcycle helmets. They pretended to discuss the products and played with the store’s cat before one of them grabbed two jars of cannabis and quickly walked out.

In another video, one of the thieves was seen entering the shop alone, carrying a motorcycle helmet in his hand. The vendor, with his back turned at the counter, unknowingly allowed the thief to grab a jar of cannabis, put it into his helmet, and walk out.

A Thai woman shared in the comments section that she also lost cannabis to the two thieves. They ordered half a gramme of cannabis and attempted to pay by credit card but the payment failed as the card was locked.

The thieves claimed they would return with cash but, while the owner was distracted, they seized the opportunity to take the product and leave. The woman added that the pair only stole high-quality products.

Another Thai man shared that he nearly became a victim of the light-fingered foreigners. However, he placed only a small piece of product in the jar, which may not be worth stealing, so his shop did not lose anything.

There were several reports of cannabis thefts in Phuket and other tourist areas. In a similar case, two foreign men were caught stealing 1,500 baht worth of cannabis from a shop in Pattaya in February. Another shop in Pattaya lost products to British and South Korean men in March last year.

In May last year, two foreign men were caught stealing cannabis from a pharmacy in Phuket. They were released without any punishment.