Elderly Australian Caught Stealing Vitamin C in Chonburi

[Georgealbert]

Picture courtesy of Sophon.

 

An 82-year-old Australian man was caught red-handed stealing a box of vitamin C from a pharmacy in Nong Prue, Bang Lamung district, Chonburi. The elderly suspect, identified as Mr. Bruce (surname withheld), was apprehended by police after staff from the store alerted authorities.

 

The incident occurred at a pharmacy across from Rai Wanasin Market, where Mr. Bruce was found with a box of vitamin C, valued at 360 baht, hidden in his right pants pocket. According to store employees, this was his third attempt to steal from the pharmacy. On the two previous occasions, reports were filed with the Nong Prue Police Station, but no arrest was made at the time. During this latest incident, staff deliberately engaged Mr. Bruce  in conversation to stall for time until police arrived to arrest him.

 

 

Security footage from the pharmacy’s CCTV system shows Mr. Bruce entering the store using a walking stick for support. He went straight to the shelf containing vitamin C, took a box, and concealed it in his pocket before casually browsing other products in the store.

 

Upon interrogation, Mr. Bruce confessed to the theft, explaining that he had come to buy eye drops due to problems with his vision. He also mentioned that his doctor had recommended he take vitamin C supplements for his health. However, because of financial difficulties, he decided to steal the vitamins instead of purchasing them.

 

In initial negotiations, Mr. Bruce agreed to compensate the store for the three thefts, amounting to a total of 954 baht. However, under the store's policy, shoplifters are fined ten times the value of the stolen goods. This brought the total amount he was required to pay to 9,540 baht.

 

The elderly man now faces legal consequences for his actions, as the case remains under investigation by local authorities. 

 

 

-- 2024-09-23

 

 

[MarkBR]

He could buy cheaper food which is more cost effective than vitamin pills.  Maybe dementia is starting. I assume his visa will be cancelled & he will be deported.

[steven100]

silly old coot ....    put him in the monkey house 

 

at 82 you'd think he'd know better ... 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 23 by steven100

[Celsius]

Those exchange rates are really hurtin'

[mfd101]

Could be any one of us one day.

[SAFETY FIRST]

1 hour ago, Georgealbert said:

Mr. Bruce

Poor old bugger. 

 

Time to go back to Oz. 

 

[Jenkins9039]

2 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

under the store's policy, shoplifters are fined ten times the value of the stolen goods. This brought the total amount he was required to pay to 9,540 baht

Is this in the law, under the law its the amount, prison sentence (not likely as under x amount of baht) but certainly deportation.

 

The store does not have the ability to set this price, unless it ended there and then he should have refused and allowed it to play out in court.

[stoner]

great now we have one less prolific AN poster. 

[connda]

Well, that's stupid.  Enjoy your stay in prison before being deported.

[Patong2021]

The arbitrary fine levied by the store is shocking. If the store has sustained damages, it  should file a small claims action.

In this case, it has been compensated for its losses and now profits on the wrongdoing. 

If the  shoplifter has done wrong,  he should be  dealt with accordingly, but merchants should not exploit the situation.

[Nick Carter icp]

2 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Poor old bugger. 

 

Time to go back to Oz. 

 

 

   When he was a child, the punishment for theft was being sent to Oz , maybe that was his intention ?

   A ticket home 

[champers]

Maybe cut an 82 year old a bit of slack; demonising him is OTT at that age.

[Tropicalevo]

1 hour ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   When he was a child, the punishment for theft was being sent to Oz , maybe that was his intention ?

   A ticket home 

Deportations to Australia stopped in the 19th century.

That would make the lad 120 years old plus some.

[still kicking]

Nobody knows what the reason is for his shoplifting maybe he had a Thai wife who dumped him maybe he was just on an Aussie pension and could not afford to buy many things stop bashing nationalities what is tomorrow? Thai bashing, Pommie  bashing, Yankee bashing? Get real it could happen to all of us 

[Nick Carter icp]

2 hours ago, champers said:

Maybe cut an 82 year old a bit of slack; demonising him is OTT at that age.

 

  Old people should be allowed to steal things ?

[FritsSikkink]

7 hours ago, mfd101 said:

Could be any one of us one day.

Don't think so, not everybody is a poor bugger.

[FritsSikkink]

3 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

The arbitrary fine levied by the store is shocking. If the store has sustained damages, it  should file a small claims action.

In this case, it has been compensated for its losses and now profits on the wrongdoing. 

If the  shoplifter has done wrong,  he should be  dealt with accordingly, but merchants should not exploit the situation.

Sure, they need to spend time and pay for a lawyer every time some muppet steals something.

A shop lifter has done something wrong, 

[FritsSikkink]

2 hours ago, champers said:

Maybe cut an 82 year old a bit of slack; demonising him is OTT at that age.

Why, he had 82 to years to find out it shouldn't be done and make some money for himself.

[webfact]

82-Year-Old Australian Expat Allegedly Caught Stealing Supplement from Pattaya Pharmacy
By Aim Tanakorn

 

PHOTO: TMN Cable TV Pattaya

Pattaya — An 82-year-old Australian man was allegedly caught stealing vitamin C from a pharmacy in Pattaya today, September 23rd.

The suspect, identified only as Mr. Bruce, was accused of shoplifting from a local pharmacy across from the Rai Vanasin Market in the Nongprue sub-district in Banglamung.

 

The 82-year-old Australian expat was closely guarded by the store employees and several bystanders at the store.

When the police arrived, they asked him to remove the items from his right pocket, which reportedly revealed a box of vitamin C worth 360 baht.

 

The item belonged to the pharmacy, which Mr. Bruce nervously placed on the counter to return it.

 

Security camera footage from the store showed Mr. Bruce entering the pharmacy around 10:20 AM on the day of the incident. Using a cane, he directly headed to the vitamin C shelf and allegedly slipped a box into his pocket. A store employee witnessed this and continued to observe him as he pretended to browse for other medication.

 

Full story: THE PATTAYA NEWS 

-- 2024-09-24

 

[steven100]

I think they should send him back to Logan or Ipswich  

[SAFETY FIRST]

I feel so sad for Bruce, he's made the AN news headlines twice in 10 hours. 
Is this issue really double newsworthy, stealing a pack of vitamins is hardly a hanging offence.

Poor guy made a mistake, he's returned the vitamins without resisting, frightened and shaking, he's probably terrified, all the uniforms and media, I  hope you guys don't kill him.

 

Give the guy a break for Gods sake 

 

Edited September 23 by SAFETY FIRST

[CANSIAM]

I'm sure that new ETA for Aussies will surely bugger him up for re-entry...............

[kuzmabruk]

7 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

The arbitrary fine levied by the store is shocking. If the store has sustained damages, it  should file a small claims action.

In this case, it has been compensated for its losses and now profits on the wrongdoing. 

If the  shoplifter has done wrong,  he should be  dealt with accordingly, but merchants should not exploit the situation.

They catch one in 10.  Totally fair.  Settle or criminal courts.  Up to the perpetrator.  

[jippytum]

If the amount of 9500 if paid closed the case he would should have paid it. 

Better than held in detention fined in court then deported. 

No sympathy though for a third time offender with previous warnings

[sumongkhwai]

I dunno, when you've reached a point in your 82 year old life that you gotta steal a 360 baht box of vitamin C you have much bigger problems going on IMO. And, the idea that the pharmacy is now going to charge him almost 10K baht seems a bit over the top to me. I reckon there's more to this story. It wasn't like he was trying to steal Viagra, then they should throw the book at him (but be careful where it hits, don't want to muck up the book)

[Iron Tongue]

44 minutes ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

I feel so sad for Bruce, he's made the AN news headlines twice in 10 hours. 
Is this issue really double newsworthy, stealing a pack of vitamins is hardly a hanging offence.

Poor guy made a mistake, he's returned the vitamins without resisting, frightened and shaking, he's probably terrified, all the uniforms and media, I  hope you guys don't kill him.

 

Give the guy a break for Gods sake 

 

You feel that bad, go and pay his fine for him.  Buy him a crate of vitamin C pills as well.

He didn't "make a mistake", he went there to commit a crime, for a third time, at least the shop is only aware of 3 thefts.  

BTW, he lives in the LoS and is vitamin C deficient?  There's so much natural vitamin C available in the fruits and vegetables everywhere.  From the looks of that gut, I'll wager he doesn't have problems paying for beer.

[sfbandung]

Things must be pretty grim for the old digger. I feel for him.

[ukrules]

7 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

The arbitrary fine levied by the store is shocking. If the store has sustained damages, it  should file a small claims action.

In this case, it has been compensated for its losses and now profits on the wrongdoing. 

If the  shoplifter has done wrong,  he should be  dealt with accordingly, but merchants should not exploit the situation.

 

It's called extortion, what should happen here is that everyone involved in the attempt to extort the old guy gets arrested

 

This case is going to shine a very bright light on this practice now - internationally and it does not look very good for both the pharmacy and the police.

 

Nobody gives a <deleted> about an old guy stealing some vitamins,  wtf

Edited September 23 by ukrules

[Edwin Cameron]

He would have to have left the shop for him to be actually charged, I would tell the Pharmacy to 'Whistle Dixie' about them fineing him,it's up to the courts like every country,all that B.S. about being a criminal if you are from Australia is exactly that B.S,usually eminateing from frustrated old 'Pommies' that suffer jealosy because we do everything much better from cricket to football as well as being a very dull country...

[HighPriority]

8 hours ago, Jenkins9039 said:

Is this in the law, under the law its the amount, prison sentence (not likely as under x amount of baht) but certainly deportation.

 

The store does not have the ability to set this price, unless it ended there and then he should have refused and allowed it to play out in court.

I suspect it may be store policy to only not press charges if the “10 x value” condition is met…

Im not sure of the legality but if you were caught which would you choose ?