how often are houses robbed?

[orc]

Thinking about moving to phuket, a small house would be cool and about the same price as a decent condo. 

But I worry about robbery. What are you guys experiences?

[simoh1490]

House broken into twice in four years on hillside Patong.

[schlog]

In 26 years at all our houses at many locations not once.

[NamKangMan]

 

For the record, I have never been broken into, and find Phuket a reasonably safe place, the roads here aside.

 

However, this recent article may give some indication as to the direction crime is heading on Phuket. 

 

https://www.thephuketnews.com/new-b789mn-phuket-prison-to-provide-relief-from-overcrowded-conditions-65520.php

[stevenl]

I find it safe, no burglaries.

 

One poster here has been claiming for years and years now that the number of burglaries is going up and will continue to rise, see the previous post as well, but I see no indications at all.

[YaiJung]

Townhouse burglarized in Patong. Just about every house near us was broken into multiple times over the years. It seemed like whenever somebody new moved in, it was only a matter of time til they were broken into. Likely the culprits lived very near by.

Off the top of my head, I can think of at least three incidences of foreigners beaten to death by burglars. In the grand scheme of things, doesn't seem like much, but no doubt there have been more.

Never had a problem in Kata, which really amazed me. I think it was because our soi was somewhat hidden... the entrance is a location that most people just blow by on the way down a hill.

In Thailand, a condo is always going to much more secure. The place I live now is like a fortress. No way anybody is getting in.

[steelepulse]

Nothing in my neighbourhood that I know of in 15 plus years.  I know of a couple friends that have left things outside that subsequently went on walkabout, but these were small low value items.

[hkt83100]

No robbery here in 23 years. (Patong, Nanai Road)

[LivinginKata]

I think it's just your luck and how secure your keep your house. Years ago we had a number of problems in Patong, some were just sneak thieves living nearby who knew which houses were unsecured. 

 

Another time a whole street on Patong hillside was systematically robbed over a day by a big gang from outside Phuket.  

 

Here in Kata on the hillside we have only had one recorded robbery over 12 years. Guy left his phone on the kitchen counter, some nearby worker reached on throgh th metal grill and stole the phone.

 

I can't recall any thefts from any of our many rentals homes for the last 10 years.

[stevenl]

1 hour ago, YaiJung said:

Off the top of my head, I can think of at least three incidences of foreigners beaten to death by burglars.

Any source for that?

[LivinginKata]

1 minute ago, stevenl said:

Any source for that?

 

So you never read the local Thai news reports ?   I can't be bothered listing links here.

[LivinginKata]

1 hour ago, hkt83100 said:

No robbery here in 23 years. (Patong, Nanai Road)

 

Have to say you have either been very lucky or more likely careful. We have never been robbed but we are careful. Simple things like lock external door or security gates. I cannot believe how many of our guests just walze out and leave the door open, not even close the screen door. There biggest problem might be a big snake or big lizard. 

[stevenl]

16 minutes ago, LivinginKata said:

 

So you never read the local Thai news reports ?   I can't be bothered listing links here.

So 3 reports of foreigners beaten to death on Phuket by burglars?

 

I recall 2 cases of foreigners dying during a robbery, one on the Rawai-Kata road and one in Kata Noi, but those were not during burglaries. And both were quite a few years back now.

[LivinginKata]

5 minutes ago, stevenl said:

So 3 reports of foreigners beaten to death on Phuket by burglars?

 

I recall 2 cases of foreigners dying during a robbery, one on the Rawai-Kata road and one in Kata Noi, but those were not during burglaries. And both were quite a few years back now.

 

Please define the difference between a robbery and a burglary. To me they are the same, so now you recall 2 deaths during a robbery. I rest my case. 

[stevenl]

39 minutes ago, LivinginKata said:

 

Please define the difference between a robbery and a burglary. To me they are the same, so now you recall 2 deaths during a robbery. I rest my case. 

Op is asking about burglary since OP wants to change from condo to house. 

The person referring to 3 deaths specifically mentioned burglaries.

 

So yes, this is about burglaries and not robberies. They may be the same to you, but they are not the same.

[Psimbo]

Only one attempt in 14 years here and that was one of the French Arab types who have ghetto-ised the south end of Nanai now. I heard the window opening and slammed it shut on his arm but by the time I got dressed and outside he was long gone. IIRC he had run out of money and was caught doing something similar a few days later.

 

They were part of the reason I moved from Patong- always causing trouble and nasty with it.

 

Personally I prefer an apartment to a house security wise and I can just lock and leave instead of having to sort stuff out. 

Edited January 29, 2018 by Psimbo

[YaiJung]

I am not going to dig up links for you, but the ones I am thinking of are:

1. Guy beaten to death with golf club at 3pm in Nai Harn after waking up from nap and discovering thieves in his house.

2. Guy beaten to death in room above shophouse on bypass rd. News said it was robbery gone bad.

3 Guy beaten to death with large rock in bungalow in rawai in early morning while he slept. 5 or 6 am.

those are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head, as I said.

[stevenl]

5 minutes ago, YaiJung said:

I am not going to dig up links for you, but the ones I am thinking of are:

1. Guy beaten to death with golf club at 3pm in Nai Harn after waking up from nap and discovering thieves in his house.

2. Guy beaten to death in room above shophouse on bypass rd. News said it was robbery gone bad.

3 Guy beaten to death with large rock in bungalow in rawai in early morning while he slept. 5 or 6 am.

those are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head, as I said.
 

I don't recall any of those, will see what I can find tomorrow.

[orc]

thanks for the many responses. This is a very binary topic, either you get robbed or you don't. One thing is to loose belongings, and the other one being personally in danger. I guess it also comes down to your guests and who they report too. 

From the responses I could not figure any more or less dangerous areas. No reports from up north though. 

Most attractive options out in the green and good priced are probably dangerous ones.

I found 4 cases from last year on google. In one a russian woman got shot by Nigerian in her house while he was robbing, one thai broke into a house, and a russina couple was forced to transfer bitcoins from a russian "gang".

[ding]

 

Here's a story where a khatoey was involved in a burglary and stolen items from a number of unlocked homes of foreigners;

http://phuketcrime.com/?p=4937

 

You can do your research at phuketcrime.com as well.

 

Edited January 30, 2018 by ding

[Old Croc]

When posters start isolating and describing experiences as above,  it may seem like there's a lot of crime here. Personally I think Phuket is a lot safer than back in my home town of Perth, where drug influenced crime has skyrocketed in recent years. Most violent crime on Phuket is Thai on Thai or among migrant workers Rarely do expats get in trouble without bringing it on themselves with stupidity.

Take obvious precautions to protect home and belongings and don't engage idiot locals who think they're losing face. Things can escalate quickly here to murderous rage.

In Perth my car was stolen 4 times and my various houses broken into on probably half a dozen occasions. The biggest loss of valuables in Australia comes from the myriad of government and quasi-government organizations who think your money is theirs to take. Your money is a lot safer here.

Edited January 30, 2018 by Old Croc

[stevenl]

14 hours ago, YaiJung said:

I am not going to dig up links for you, but the ones I am thinking of are:

1. Guy beaten to death with golf club at 3pm in Nai Harn after waking up from nap and discovering thieves in his house.

2. Guy beaten to death in room above shophouse on bypass rd. News said it was robbery gone bad.

3 Guy beaten to death with large rock in bungalow in rawai in early morning while he slept. 5 or 6 am.

those are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head, as I said.
 

Cant find anything on any of these.

 

I do recall, maybe the 3rd one, there was a guy in small resort in Rawai, close to the beginning of soi Sai Yuan, who got killed, but don't recall any of the details. 6 years ago or so.

[schlog]

6 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Cant find anything on any of these.

 

I do recall, maybe the 3rd one, there was a guy in small resort in Rawai, close to the beginning of soi Sai Yuan, who got killed, but don't recall any of the details. 6 years ago or so.

 Recall the 2nd. It was opposit Lotus. Maybe 6-10 years ago.

 

BTW a dog or a goose are always good for house&land protection.

[madmitch]

One incident, though almost certainly connected to people we had doing some work as there was no forcible entry or exit; whoever "broke in" had a key!

 

The burglar was obviously no more than an opportunist as the only items stolen were a laptop that I was about to replace and an iPod that didn't work! No cupboards or drawers were rummaged through.

 

No forcible or violent entry or exit of course meant no insurance payout!

[Farang99]

18 hours ago, NamKangMan said:

 

For the record, I have never been broken into, and find Phuket a reasonably safe place, the roads here aside.

 

However, this recent article may give some indication as to the direction crime is heading on Phuket. 

 

https://www.thephuketnews.com/new-b789mn-phuket-prison-to-provide-relief-from-overcrowded-conditions-65520.php

In 20 years in Phuket, never had a break-in. The fact that we always have dogs may be a factor, as  other houses in this moobaan have been robbed.

[stevenl]

39 minutes ago, schlog said:

 Recall the 2nd. It was opposit Lotus. Maybe 6-10 years ago.

 

BTW a dog or a goose are always good for house&land protection.

Wasn't that one a real estate deal gone bad? So a murder made to look like a botched burglary?

Edited January 30, 2018 by stevenl

[Guest]

Once in Chalong during 1 year stay. 

 

Never had a problem up here at Ao Por. 

 

[schlog]

13 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Wasn't that one a real estate deal gone bad? So a murder made to look like a botched burglary?

Ohhh yes. You are correct.

[steelepulse]

46 minutes ago, madmitch said:

One incident, though almost certainly connected to people we had doing some work as there was no forcible entry or exit; whoever "broke in" had a key!

 

The burglar was obviously no more than an opportunist as the only items stolen were a laptop that I was about to replace and an iPod that didn't work! No cupboards or drawers were rummaged through.

 

No forcible or violent entry or exit of course meant no insurance payout!

This is where most of the case work is done.  You get some workers over to fix something, and naturally they start looking around.  

 

 

[stuandjulie]

3 times in 12 years, we have 2 dogs, bars on the windows and cctv as well !