Frenchman Charged With Shoplifting

[baabaabobo]

From the Phuket Gazette

PATONG: A 68-year-old Frenchman has been charged with stealing leather goods valued at more than 30,000 baht from the Findig store on the Patong beach road.

Capt Naruwat Phutharaviro of Kathu Police Station told the Gazette that he received a call from Findig shop manager Nathaya Prasomthong, 34, at 4:20 pm yesterday.

K. Nathaya reported that a well-dressed foreign tourist had been caught stealing seven items of leather goods from the store, he said.

Police arrived at the store and arrested Jacques Andre Roland Marecaux, charging him with stealing five crocodile leather bags, a wallet and a pair of crocodile leather shoes.

“Marecaux lives with a French friend in Kathu. He had come to the shop many times but never bought anything,” Capt Naruwat said.

“Shop staff have been keeping an eye on customers over the past couple of days after they found that leather bags were missing from the store. They kept an eye on Marecaux as he was carrying a big bag while looking around the shop, and then they finally caught him,” he added.

Capt Naruwat said that Marecaux had confessed to the charges.

“Once his case has been heard in court we will hand his case over to Immigration for further action,” said Capt Naruwat.

[taxexile]

and a pair of crocodile leather shoes.

he must be a snappy dresser !!

[donna]

what strange things to steal. and pretty ballsy to take in a big bag, fill it up, and leave!

[geriatrickid]

Hope they put this bugger in jail for a bit, even if its for a few days. I have a hunch, a stay in a place where he can't order poor locals around would do him some good, maybe even teach him some basic manners, like not stealing. Too bad they don't have public service sentences like they do in the USA & UK. I think Boy George learnt something from cleaning the NYC streets awhile back.

[zorro1]

and a pair of crocodile leather shoes.

he must be a snappy dresser !!

[pattyboy]

I can find no sympathy for this jerk.

It's tough enough to convince some Thai people that any farangs have any redeeming qualities, and this type of a**hole behaviour sure doesn't help. They see us as people with so much more that they have and with many more opportunities to get wealth, so why should we steal from them?

I hope Jacques Andre Roland Marecaux does the maximum amount of time in the Bangkok Hilton (or Phuket equivalent) then is kept out of Thailand for the rest of his sorry existence. I imagine that 30,000 baht isn't exactly small-time theft by Thai standards. Hopefully, it's a serious enough amount to justify locking this creep up for a long time.

It would be nice to know where he lives (in France, I assume) and submit a little article the local newspaper might print -- something that would shame him properly, although this type of absolute low-life probably doesn't give a moment's thought about what anybody thinks of him.

[Briggsy]

I hope Jacques Andre Roland Marecaux does the maximum amount of time in the Bangkok Hilton (or Phuket equivalent) then is kept out of Thailand for the rest of his sorry existence. I imagine that 30,000 baht isn't exactly small-time theft by Thai standards. Hopefully, it's a serious enough amount to justify locking this creep up for a long time.

Sentences for shoplifting tend to be very stiff in Thailand. The fact that this has been announced by the police and has made it to the papers suggests the 'bribe your way out of it window' has been missed. He will not however be going to the Bangkok Hilton as this is only for prisoners sentenced to very long sentences.