Charged & brewed: Phuket thief busted for beer & batteries theft
A 39 year old man has been arrested after he was caught stealing beer and batteries from a 7-Eleven store in Patong, Phuket, with the police tracking him down using CCTV footage and his distinctive clothes.
Officers from Patong Police Station, led by Police Colonel Chalermchai Hirasawat, apprehended the suspect on Sunday, March 16, following a theft reported on March 10.
The theft occurred at approximately 5am when the thief entered the Rat Uthit 200 Pi branch of 7-Eleven and stole one case of Chang beer and two ASAKI spare batteries. He then rode off on a motorcycle parked outside the store.
The following day, a store employee filed a complaint with Patong police, and investigators launched an immediate probe. After reviewing CCTV footage, officers identified the suspect based on his physical appearance and clothing.
The investigation led them to an abandoned building on Soi Klong Bang Wat, where the suspect was arrested.
They recovered the stolen items, including the two ASAKI batteries and the clothing he wore during the crime— a black short-sleeved T-shirt and short jeans.
The suspect was charged with theft at nighttime and using a vehicle to facilitate the crime or evade arrest. He was taken back to Patong Police Station for further legal proceedings, reported The Phuket News.
Police have now warned residents and visitors in Patong to be vigilant as the investigation continues. Meanwhile, police have praised the effectiveness of the CCTV footage in helping them track down the thief swiftly.
In similar news, CCTV footage from a 24-hour laundrette in Phuket has shown a man, believed to be a foreigner, stealing clothes left in machines by customers.
The theft occurred around 11pm on Monday, March 3, at a laundrette in Kathu.
A Thai man, whose clothes were taken, shared the footage on social media to warn others.
In an interview with Channel 7, the victim explained that he had left his laundry in a machine, only to return later and find his clothes missing. He then requested the CCTV footage from the shop owner to investigate further.
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