Dutchman arrested for office hold-up

PHUKET CITY: -- A down-on-his-luck Dutchman was arrested yesterday for the June 15 robbery of the management office of Phuket Villa California residential development.

The man, identified as Jeroen De Valk, 35, allegedly made away with 74,000 baht – but not before CCTV cameras recorded his motorcycle license plate number.

On June 15, a man dressed in black walked into the offices of Phuket Villa California on Chao Fa East Rd with a replica gun and demanded money. Rungruedee Engchuan, the lone office worker at the time, ran for cover while the man searched through the office, eventually making off with the money.

Col Chalit Thintanee, Deputy Commander of Phuket Provincial Police, said that although the man’s face was not visible in the CCTV recording the license plate was clear and led to yesterday’s arrest of De Valk.

At a press conference last night, police said De Valk has lived in Thailand for six months, bought a house on credit and set up a clothing store with a Thai woman – but the store was not making money.

The gun used in the hold-up turned out to be of the variety used for lighting cigarettes, not shooting bullets.

-- TNA 2007-06-23

He will get to regret this stupid act many many times over the poor clovn.

And he'll have a long time to think about it. Amazing. He should have started begging like the guy filmed in Bangkok who made 1000 baht/day begging.

Ohhh I am ashamed of my fellow countryman . And that for only 74k , unbelievable .

I feel sorry for his family back home .

He'll get free rent soon but won't be allowed to leave the building for a few years.

Dutchman arrested for office hold-up

At a press conference last night, police said De Valk has lived in Thailand for six months, bought a house on credit and set up a clothing store with a Thai woman – but the store was not making money.

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"bought a house on credit"....???

Stupid fellow countryman

LaoPo

It's apparent that he REALLY wanted to stay in Thailand. He got his wish but I doubt he'll be enjoying his stay much now. I can't work up a lot of sympathy for him BUT at least he didn't turn to selling drugs.

Another sob story in making "Dutch man comes to Thailand and loses it all and ends up in jail , but it was not his fault".

It's apparent that he REALLY wanted to stay in Thailand. He got his wish but I doubt he'll be enjoying his stay much now. I can't work up a lot of sympathy for him BUT at least he didn't turn to selling drugs.

Well in my book I consider armed robbery to be worse than selling drugs. People want drugs, but no-one wants a gun pointed in their face, fake or not. She must of been really shook up.

Stupid <deleted> though regarding the license plate.

He is lucky he wasn't selling drugs though as he would be a lot older before he sees daylight again.

What a <deleted> -

Did he paint the victims private parts in gold?

Coming so soon after the Briton's equally ludicrous plan of extorting money from Tesco-Lotus or he would poison their food.

Will they get to share the same 50-man cell?

Increasing acts of desperation?

Niet zo slim Jeroen !!!!!

Niet zo slim Jeroen !!!!!

hahahaha... I love Alta-Vista's translation of this:

"Not this way, malignant Jeroen !!!! "

The most stupid thing I've seen was the German guy who was locked up in Pattaya a month ago for stealing a bottle of Lao Khao worth 40Baht!!!!

The most stupid thing I've seen was the German guy who was locked up in Pattaya a month ago for stealing a bottle of Lao Khao worth 40Baht!!!!

a toy gun or a real one ,its armed robbery ,and deserves a long sentence,if everybody down on his luck resorted to this the jails would be bursting.

Well, all countries have "News Of The Weird...."

It's obvious that those tight-a*s Dutch gov't officials need to loosen up on the laws a bit so these guys get their welfare checks deposited directly into a Thai bank account!

In the meantime, he will be receiving the best of Thai hospitality during the remainder of his stay!

It's obvious that those tight-a*s Dutch gov't officials need to loosen up on the laws a bit so these guys get their welfare checks deposited directly into a Thai bank account!

Good one Scott!

How's that in Scotland btw....do they send the checks in time

LaoPo

I've been down on my luck here before and I have a Thai family and I am determined to stay although I feel cloaked in poverty and debt. I bought a new truck on credit.

Yet I have never felt as overwhelmed with despair as this man must have felt the morning he planned this idiotic caper. I really can't help feeling sorry for him. At least this idea, as stupid as it was, is better than suicide or killing another person for money. At least he seems harmless.

Any word on the wherabouts of the Belgian mastermind? (Bald guy accompanied by a short bald clone)

just wondering if the lone office girl was part of the deal?

how could the poor hollander know that there was money at that time?

Niet zo slim Jeroen !!!!!

Can be best translated as 'not such a clever idea, Jeroen !'. This is a common remark in Holland in case somebody does something very very stupid.

A futile adventure and one that suggests he really hit rock bottom. If he was younger he could have done what other poor people do and sell their bodies to foreigners for some food.

The positive side of this is that he was thoughtful enough not to use a real gun that could have gone off.

If you say I am a sucker cuz I didn't realize he had a fake gun cuz a thai sold him it as a real one, or he couldn't afford one, I won't disagree.

At least the Netherlands will not have to support him for a few years.

these people shoul be in a mental hospital, not jail.

if he just robbes something in holland he would get many times the amount he got here and if cought he would be jailed for 6 months/1 year maybe lol

years in prison for 1500 euros looooooool if he robbed me at the right time he had more lol

Cherchez la femme

3 year old topic.

No need to start discussing again!

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