Thai man arrested for stealing from Russian couple in Phuket

Police arrested a Thai man for stealing from a Russian couple while the victims were enjoying Kata Beach in Phuket.

The Russian couple, whose identities remain undisclosed, filed a theft complaint at Karon Police Station at around 8am on October 18. They reported that they visited Kata Beach and left their belongings unattended while enjoying the beach.

The victims saw a man taking their belongings before fleeing the scene on a motorcycle. They were unable to stop the thief as they were too far from their possessions. The stolen items included a gold iPhone 13 Pro Max, cash, credit cards, and a gold ring.

Police provided an update regarding the case today, October 21. According to their report, officers examined security footage and tracked the thief to the Chalong sub-district in Phuket.

The suspect was found in a rented room on Soi Anusorn, and officers arrived to apprehend him on the same day the incident occurred. A grey Honda Wave motorcycle, which was used in the crime, was discovered parked outside the room.

When officers knocked on the door, the suspect, identified as 35 year old Surachai, answered in a state of shock. He appeared visibly frightened when the police requested permission to search his room. Upon finding incriminating evidence in his possession, Surachai confessed to the crime.

Police recovered some of the stolen items, including the credit cards, leftover cash, and the gold ring, from Surachai’s room. However, the suspect confessed that he already sold the victim’s phone to a local mobile shop. A man named Tom collected the phone from him.

Officers tracked down Tom and discovered that he sent the phone to the shop via parcel delivery. They visited the parcel delivery shop and successfully retrieved the mobile phone.

Both Surachai and Tom were summoned to the police station for further legal proceedings. However, the police have not yet clarified the legal charges that both men will face.

The Russian couple were also invited to the police station to retrieve their belongings. They recovered all the stolen items except for some cash that Surachai already spent.