Thai lifeguards nab American phone thief at Kata Beach

[Bangkok Barry]

3 hours ago, Nemises said:

Is it really worth stealing phones these days? My phone needs a 6 digit passcode to unlock it (3 attempts allowed); has it’s location shown on another device; I can immediately disable it on another device; needs my Apple ID to work again if they factory reset it (3 attempts allowed). In other words it’s useless to them and they risk getting caught if they turn it on making its location visible. 
 

If ever stolen, all data is reinstalled onto my new phone via the daily automated Cloud backup. 

 

 

 

 

Not everyone has an Apple phone. Not everyone is tech-savvy. not everyone has a password protected phone. So worth taking a chance that the phone he stole is worth many hundreds of dollars in 're-sale' value. That is why people steal phones.

[cnx101]

2 hours ago, Lopburikid said:

Yeah, brits come to Thailand, get drunk and have a fight. Yankers come to Thailand and steal mobile phones off little girls ha!🤣

Yeah don’t forget about the yank with the horse, never did hear what happened to him.

[MalcolmB]

4 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

He probably knew that, which is why he didn't try to flee. If he had, he'd have suffered a Thai five on one beating.

I doubt if they would have needed five Thais for this punk. 
The woman nearly took care of him herself.

 

And these Thais can fight, as shown by the way they handled those much larger British hooligans last week in Pattaya. 
The national sport in Thailand is Muay Tai. Like boxing but elbows, feet and knees also allowed.

[MalcolmB]

3 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

Not everyone has an Apple phone. Not everyone is tech-savvy. not everyone has a password protected phone. So worth taking a chance that the phone he stole is worth many hundreds of dollars in 're-sale' value. That is why people steal phones.

You don’t need an Apple phone to track a phone down.

 

google “Find my phone”. 
 

[Nemises]

1 minute ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

Not everyone has an Apple phone. Not everyone is tech-savvy. not everyone has a password protected phone. So worth taking a chance that the phone he stole is worth many hundreds of dollars in 're-sale' value. That is why people steal phones.

You don’t need an Apple phone to have password protection. Most phones are password protected. 

[Bangkok Barry]

2 minutes ago, MalcolmB said:

You don’t need an Apple phone to track a phone down.

 

google “Find my phone”. 
 

 

What about retrieving all the stuff on it? I don't know. I rarely use my phone, preferring to use a laptop most of the time instead of dealing with a tiny screen.

[Bangkok Barry]

4 minutes ago, Nemises said:

10 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

Not everyone has an Apple phone. Not everyone is tech-savvy. not everyone has a password protected phone. So worth taking a chance that the phone he stole is worth many hundreds of dollars in 're-sale' value. That is why people steal phones.

You don’t need an Apple phone to have password protection. Most phones are password protected. 

 

Let me re=word that. Not everyone password protects their phone.

[metisdead]

Off topic deflection posts and replies contravening our Community Standards have been removed.

[Taboo2]

3 hours ago, SportRider said:

Question. 

Do people still say 'telephone' nowadays? 

 

Mobile. Phone. Cell... 

Yes, Americans still say Cell Phones....

[Docno]

3 hours ago, harrycallahan said:

They need their noses broken when they're caught. The law is pretty much useless in all countries these days. 

Well, you deserve your name, Harry. Sounds like someone would prefer to live under the Taliban... 

[Docno]

17 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

What about retrieving all the stuff on it? I don't know. I rarely use my phone, preferring to use a laptop most of the time instead of dealing with a tiny screen.

You can erase the data on your phone remotely, and it should all be backed up to the cloud, which can then be downloaded to a new phone. 

[Nemises]

33 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

That is why people steal phones.

 

Theft of smartphones have fallen year on year. A key factor for this continual decline could be that smartphone security has improved to a point that it’s no longer worth stealing them; with Face ID, trackers, and fingerprint scanners, it’s now harder for criminals to wipe and fence stolen property. 
 

https://www.loveitcoverit.com/news/changing-world/mobile-phone-theft-a-new-crimewave/#:~:text=A key factor for this,wipe and fence stolen property.

 

 

Edited June 5 by Nemises

[Docno]

4 hours ago, Sig said:

"The woman dearly attempted to reclaim her phone... pulling at his shorts..."
That was some kind of affection being exercised so "dearly"...

I don't know how one could come up with this kind of writing, even using a dictionary!? How on earth can that word possibly work in this scenario!?

Should have been, she was "holding on for dear life" ☺️

[Gottfrid]

3 hours ago, expat_4_life said:

 

 

He got charged alright, and the charge carries a fine.  Perhaps he was able to avoid the fine, but doubtful.

 

Right, my mistake. He got charge for disturbance, but the below is rather interesting.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Interestingly, the police did not press any charges related to the theft itself, as the victim had her phone returned to her. This incident highlights the vigilant efforts of local lifeguards and the swift actions of Thai authorities, ensuring that a peaceful day at the beach was restored despite the initial disturbance.

[bbko]

15 minutes ago, Nemises said:

 

Theft of smartphones have fallen year on year. A key factor for this continual decline could be that smartphone security has improved to a point that it’s no longer worth stealing them; with Face ID, trackers, and fingerprint scanners, it’s now harder for criminals to wipe and fence stolen property. 
 

https://www.loveitcoverit.com/news/changing-world/mobile-phone-theft-a-new-crimewave/#:~:text=A key factor for this,wipe and fence stolen property.

 

 

Phone parts are expensive these days, maybe the thief wanted to strip it down and use/sell the parts of the phone.

[Hakuna Matata]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

the American man was subsequently taken to Karon Police Station for questioning. The authorities determined that he appeared to be under the influence of alcohol.

 

OMG, those perky Americans are hitting the news headlines once again in Thailand? What a shame! 

[oslooskar]

3 hours ago, simon43 said:

The lifeguards should have given the thief a good kicking - physical punishment is remembered more than a financial penalty.  (I hate thieves...)

So, no hearing, no trial, just a good kicking before all the facts are known???

[oslooskar]

12 minutes ago, Hakuna Matata said:

 

OMG, those perky Americans are hitting the news headlines once again in Thailand? What a shame! 

Try to look on the bright side. This will shift public attention away from those troublesome Brits who have been making headlines lately.

[nglodnig]

4 hours ago, Sig said:

The woman dearly attempted to reclaim her phone

I thought my eyes were getting worse - I thought 'surely that "d" is a "cl"' - maybe the AI writer needs glasses too.....

[hunkidori]

Typical American behavior, the cops should have tazed him and given him a good hiding then charged him with resisting arrest to make him feel at home

[Ctkong]

Thailand clearly attracts the lowlife from every country on earth…. Tourist stealing mobile phone while on the beach. Probably also following the Thai way of excuse blaming it on the alcohol. 

[ChipButty]

28 minutes ago, hunkidori said:

Typical American behavior, the cops should have tazed him and given him a good hiding then charged him with resisting arrest to make him feel at home

Planted some drugs on him

[kwaussie]

I regularly go to Patong beach and leave phone on chair in bag whilst swimming and always worry about this happening, as usually feel very safe. 

[Frankie baby]

he appeared to be under the influence of alcohol.

 

So-what, not everybody gets the urge to steal after a few beers.

Once a thief, always a thief.  

[freeworld]

Every day a new nationality, not often one sees Americans doing stuff like this.

Edited June 5 by freeworld

[Oliver Holzerfilled]

I've heard rumors for years that there is  an American who isn't a convicted felon that lives somewhere here in Thailand.  Anyone ever actually met him?  Starting to think it is just a rumor.

[PETERTHEEATER]

When she recovered her phone from inside his shorts did she find it had been set to vibrate.😋

[Lopburikid]

3 hours ago, cnx101 said:

Yeah don’t forget about the yank with the horse, never did hear what happened to him.

Yeah, thats true. Maybe he married it!😂

[Confuscious]

6 hours ago, cookie1974 said:

At last a headline which doesnt involve a brit🤣

Amerikkans = convicted Brits.

Same same
Remember the Mayflower

[Liverpool Lou]

5 hours ago, Robert Paulson said:

At least if the country operates under “innocent until proven guilty” which I have no idea if Thailand does

Of course, Thailand does.