Phuket not: Swift owner puts the brakes on motorcycle heist

Police in Phuket detained two men following an attempted motorcycle theft in Kathu, which was thwarted by the quick actions of the vehicle’s owner. The suspects were apprehended with two stolen motorcycles after one of them tried to steal a bike left with its keys in the ignition on October 28.

The incident unfolded at 8.12pm on October 28 when Bancha Chuaychu reported the attempted theft of his red motorcycle parked outside his residence to the Kathu Police. CCTV footage revealed a suspect, dressed in a long-sleeved white shirt and grey-black jeans, approaching the motorcycle across the street and attempting to start it.

As the suspect struggled to get the motorcycle in gear, Bancha noticed the disturbance and confronted him. The confrontation led to the thief dropping the motorcycle, causing damage, and fleeing the scene before completing the theft.

By 1am yesterday, October 29, Kathu Police’s patrol and investigative units had successfully tracked down and arrested the two suspects. They were found in possession of two stolen motorcycles. A background check revealed that one suspect had a history of theft and had recently been released from prison in April.

CCTV footage of the incident, released by the police, serves as a reminder for residents to secure their vehicles and remove keys from the ignition when parking their motorcycles. The footage shows the failed theft attempt, with the thief arriving in a white Honda Click, accompanied by another man in a black shirt and shorts who waited across the street, reported The Phuket News.

The two men are held at Kathu Police Station as legal proceedings continue.

In related news, in a dramatic takedown that reads like a crime thriller, a gang of young motorcycle thieves has been nabbed in Bangkok—shockingly, with a 14 year old among the culprits.

This motley crew, responsible for filching over ten bikes across the capital, were flogging their ill-gotten wheels for a measly 1,000-1,500 baht apiece, spotlighting a worrying trend of young hooligans descending into a life of crime.