Cambodians Caught Taking Russian’s Purse On Beach [... in Pattaya, Thailand]

Two former Cambodian construction workers were arrested for stealing a Russian lady’s handbag while she was swimming at Wong Amat beach. One thief accidently stabbed himself in his leg while escaping and was treated at the hospital.

PATTAYA – October 28, 2012 [PDN]; at 12:30 a.m., the arrests of two Cambodians for theft was announced by Pol. Col. Supphathee Boonkrong, Deputy Commander, Chonburi province; Pol. Col. Thammanoon Munkong, Superintendent, Pattaya police station; Pol. Lt. Col. Kiettisak Sathongoy, Deputy Superintendent; Pol. Lt. Col. Anak Prasongsuk, Inspector; and the detective police team.

The suspects were identified as “ Mr. Na,” age 24, and “Mr. Tid,” age 19, from Cambodia. They are accused of stealing the property of a foreign tourist.

Police seized the evidence that included the victim’s handbag, a Nokia mobile phone, two Samsung Galaxy mobile phones, a Canon digital camera, and 500 THB cash. Police also seized a sharp knife used by the suspects.

The victim was identified as Ms. Vera Sarycheva, age 32, from Russia. The theft occurred on the previous day on October 27, at 9:30 a.m. The two Cambodians had snatched the handbag that Ms. Vera had left on the sand to go swimming with her Russian boyfriend at Wong Amat Beach, Pattaya Na Kleu road in north Pattaya.

While the two thieves were running away, Mr. Na accidentally stabbed himself in the leg with the sharp knife until he got injured and was bleeding. But the men kept going and escaped to hide in the nearby forest.

Later, the police mobilized forces to blockade the area and searched for the suspects for a long time, but didn’t find them. However, the detective police team decided to inspect another nearby forest, and found the two exhausted suspects hiding, and seized all of the stolen properties. Police later sent Mr. Na to Banglamung hospital to stitch his wound.

During questioning, Mr. Na confessed that he and Mr. Tid had travelled from Cambodia a long time ago to work as a construction workers in a camp in Soi Wong Amat, and they eventually became fluent speakers of Thai.

But lately their employer didn’t pay them any wages. So they had no money to use, and Mr. Na had not eaten anything for three days. So Mr. Na decided to persuade Mr. Tid to make trouble and steal the property of the Russian tourist. But finally they were arrested by the police.

However, the police were skeptical of their testimony, and investigated further. They discovered that the two Cambodians had been fired from their jobs a long time ago, but did not consent to return home to Cambodia.

The two men instead made problems in Pattaya by stealing tourists’ properties. Police restrained the two Cambodian thieves to send to the investigation officer to prosecute further according to the law.

The arrests were according to the policy of the National Police Bureau Office, which issued a bulletin to every police station to step up enforcement of crime and drug activity by increasing the effectiveness of working operations from October 25 to November 5.