Snatch-and-run Bandits Nabbed In Phuket

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Snatch-and-run bandits nabbed in Phuket

The thieves, in handcuffs, re-enact the crime as the two English victims look on.

KAMALA, PHUKET: A pair of of English tourists will leave Phuket today with no pictures of their holiday to show friends back home – thanks to the depredations of a trio of thieves in Kamala.

Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pekad Thantipong and Kamala Police yesterday afternoon held a press conference to announce the arrest of two men wanted in connection with the snatch-and-run theft of an English tourist's shoulder bag on Sunday morning.

The press conference included a re-enactment of the crime.

Englishwoman Alyson Ashforth, 30, and her companion Nicholas Gilmore were walking back to their room at the Aquamarine Resort & Villa at about 10:30 Sunday morning when the thieves struck in front of the Rajaprajanukroh 36 School on the beach road.

Ms Ashforth filed a complaint with the Kamala Police, telling officers that, as she was shifting the position of the bag from one shoulder to the other, three men approached from behind on a motorbike, snatched the bag and sped off.

The bag contained a Sony digital camera, some hand gel and cosmetics, she told police.

Realizing the trio didn't pick up any cash in the heist, Kamala Police expected them to remain on the prowl.

As snatch-and-run crimes are uncommon in the area, Kamala Police coordinated with neighboring Cherng Talay Police in trying to find the culprits. The effort paid off: two of the three suspects were taken into custody on Srisoonthorn Rd Soi 11 in Cherng Talay about half an hour later.

The two were identified as Jirawat Salee and Manoon Manabutr, both 18 years of age – not minors as reported by another media outlet.

Court indictment was scheduled for today on charges of conspiring to commit a snatch-and-run theft using a vehicle, charges which could land them in prison for up to seven years and six months.

The third suspect remains at-large and police are searching for him now.

With their camera returned to them, all its photos deleted, Alyson and Nicholas were scheduled to return to England today after a 14-day holiday in Phuket.

"We want to know for sure, before we go back, that those guys are going to jail because they deserve it, " Ms Alyson said at the re-enactment.

"One thing we don't understand is why they had to view and delete all the photos in our camera. Those photos really meant a lot to us," she said.

"Phuket is not a bad place to go on holiday at all. Even though we had a bad experience our first time here we will be coming back again," she added.

-- Phuket Gazette 2010-01-05

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[Xonax]

We stayed in Kamala Beach last year and kept away from the beach road (where the photo is taken), exactly because of the many poor looking guys on motorbikes hanging out there.

[eljeque]

Caning anyone?

[MarleyMarl]

The pictures may be recoverable

[Reasonableman]

Why is the tourist guy just looking at these two pieces of s__t instead of beating them around the ears as they deserve?

[MyphuketLife]

The pictures may be recoverable

They more than likely are using free software like "Recuva"

But I doubt the victims will read this post

[Jingjok]

I live in KL most of the time where we have a lot of this.

I absolutely detest these brave warriors who earn living by taking handbags from women.

If the victims read this – do not despair! Most of your photos are almost certainly recoverable using an un-delete program like ‘Easy Recovery’

Just remember – do not switch on the camera any more and DO NOT take any new pictures on the same memory card.

If you are still in Phuket tonight (Wed) and can get the camera to Surin Beach I’d be delighted to recover them for you. I have the program.

Good luck and sorry your visit turned out so badly.

Mark (089 919 1596)

[MyphuketLife]

Why is the tourist guy just looking at these two pieces of s__t instead of beating them around the ears as they deserve?

I don't know, maybe because they are with the police, and well it would not be worth also going to jail...

[christhenation]

"One thing we don't understand is why they had to view and delete all the photos in our camera. Those photos really meant a lot to us," she said.

--

Umm...because they stole your stuff, and weren't planning on returning it...that coupled with the fact that there weren't, likely, any interesting shots in there.

[zakk9]

Amazing work, Mr. Policeman. We understand your pride, and the fact that it was important to show off these two teenagers in the newspaper.

Now, back to work and start working on the arrests of the other umpteen thousand crooks and other suspect individuals running around making life a nightmare for tourists and others. If you catch a dozen per day, you should at least be able to keep up with the growth...

[wjmark]

The pictures may be recoverable

Very good point!

Lots of good recovery software around - I used FinalRecovery to save some photos from a memory card...

Just don't use the card again until you get the old stuff recovered.

How to pass this info on to Ms Alyson?

ps - caning is a good idea - snatch and grabs are a dangerous physical assault, not mere theft.

[EnhancePlus]

Give'm 3 days in the clink - that'll teach'm

[balou]

Phuket is definitively a s--t hole. a place i will never spend a penny!

they should have six months without tourist, just for fun!

[Brewsta]

"Nothing is permanent - not even our troubles"

Charles Chaplin

Lousy crime, happily without violence.

May the visitors learn and return in the future to LOS with a more pragmatic understanding of our adopted homeland.

Hope so.

regardz to All,

Brewsta

[SuriyaJ]

glad the police made themselves useful sometimes.

and the thing about caning, i thought we live in 21st century and suppose to be a bunch of hypocrites?

[WISteve]

Very good point!

Lots of good recovery software around - I used FinalRecovery to save some photos from a memory card...

Just don't use the card again until you get the old stuff recovered.

How to pass this info on to Ms Alyson?

ps - caning is a good idea - snatch and grabs are a dangerous physical assault, not mere theft.

Indeed it is dangerous!

I remember the poor lady in Bangkok who died from the assault of a passing snatch-and-grab crew not so long ago!

Glad they caught this bunch anyway!

~WISteve

[mythBuster]

We stayed in Kamala Beach last year and kept away from the beach road (where the photo is taken), exactly because of the many poor looking guys on motorbikes hanging out there.

Hmm besides the fact that this kind of journalism is very uninteresting and can be called scoreboard journalism, these crimes are very uncommon in Thailand. If I had to stay away from any place in the USA, Australia or Europe where there were poor looking guys outside, I could lock myself up in my house.

Thailand is absurd safe. The given fact that this is a breaking news story says either a lot about the editors here or about the criminality in Thailand. Visit any given police station in London. Amsterdam, New York, Miami or Sydney and you will notice that they book and let go small time criminals like that 20 times an hour.

Unfortunately Thai newspapers deploy hundreds of would be journalists with a video and photo camera in police stations in Thailand to put any such rare criminal on picture, defying any and each privacy law.

Thai newspapers would do themselves and the general public a great favour when they would defer some of these people to catch politicians filling their pockets, or to businessmen ruining local villages because of their greed. It would be better for tourism that does not need this negative attention and it would be better for democracy too.

[witsawakorn]

Why is the tourist guy just looking at these two pieces of s__t instead of beating them around the ears as they deserve?

Yeah great idea that will solve all their problems won't it? Doh!

[john b good]

The pictures may be recoverable

If you think that why don't you enlarge on just how it might be done ??

[BigWheelMan]

Well done the boys in brown.

I think the Thai police do a fantastic job.

They are up against low pay, working long hours and face extreme life threatening situations every day. Give them credit when it`s due.

My old granddad used to say, a policeman can be your best friend and that is still relevant today.

[dude007]

Phuket is definitively a s--t hole. a place i will never spend a penny!

they should have six months without tourist, just for fun!

When I see this "TAXI" panel in the background, I disgust already from the red and yellow tuc-tuc maffia in Phuket, phew, bah... Not a place to be anymore!!!

[bearhunt]

7.5yrs for stealing a bag is a lot of time for such a crime!

[oz93666]

I don't know, maybe because they are with the police, and well it would not be worth also going to jail...

......or it could be cos they're not the thieves , just stand ins for the 'reenactment'

[Jirapa]

"One thing we don't understand is why they had to view and delete all the photos in our camera. Those photos really meant a lot to us," she said.

--

Umm...because they stole your stuff, and weren't planning on returning it...that coupled with the fact that there weren't, likely, any interesting shots in there.

Yeah and they'd have kept all the homemade Ferrang porn if there was any. Even so Thais getting nabbed with a camera showing ferrang having sex who they can't claim to know is quite incriminating so probably better to delete it. Unless they're really stupid and say "of course we know them, we pinched their camera!"

[Dakhar]

glad the police made themselves useful sometimes.

and the thing about caning, i thought we live in 21st century and suppose to be a bunch of hypocrites?

and we do, and we expect others to act accordingly... but if u want act like a dog, might as well treat u like one

[Jirapa]

......or it could be cos they're not the thieves , just stand ins for the 'reenactment'

Ermmmm????? In that case why are they wearing handcuffs? Do you think they commited the crime with handcuffs on? Those poor cun?s are facing a 7 and a half year stretch for pinching a ferrangs camera and some sunblock and they're only 18. If they pinched my camera I'd be asking the authorities for leaniency not thinking about boxing them round the ears. 7 or so years for a camera doesn't add up in any society even if you have lost a mere 2 weeks of vacation pics. Yes what they did was wrong but no one got hurt so 4 months would be ample if they don't have the funds to pay a large fine!

[madmitch]

With no disrespect to the robbed couple, how is this story newsworthy?

I am only reading it due to the number of responses, wondering what people had to say.

What's next from the Phuket Gazette, "Dog run over on By-Pass Road"?

[Jirapa]

With no disrespect to the robbed couple, how is this story newsworthy?

I am only reading it due to the number of responses, wondering what people had to say.

What's next from the Phuket Gazette, "Dog run over on By-Pass Road"?

Exactly! If that's the worst that can happen to you in Phuket I might have to move there and run over a few dogs on my way.

[ColCarpenter]

"The two were identified as Jirawat Salee and Manoon Manabutr, both 18 years of age – not minors as reported by another media outlet."

The Phuket Gazette is always slagging off at its competition, but the truth is the 'other media outlet' beats them to stories every single day

The Gazette has no right to criticise other media outlets when it makes more mistakes than a new puppy. The Gazette is probably the world's worst paper, with badly written stories (such as this one) and atrocious layouts.

It's known in Phuket as 'the paper that puts you to sleep'.

[ManilaLover]

Something to introduce here for sure...

In China this guys would be sentenced extra heavy because offending foreigners damages the reputation of the country very much.