Welcome To Phuket: Swede Robbed Of B1 Million On Day One

[webfact]

Welcome to Phuket: Swede robbed of B1 million on Day One

The quiet street has not suffered break-ins for years, say neighbors.

PHUKET: -- A couple who moved into their new Phuket home in a quiet neighborhood yesterday have already reported their house being burgled – and losing valuables totaling about one million baht in the process.

They had not spent a single night in their new home before they were robbed.

Lars Gustav Torsten Lindgren, 57, told the Phuket Gazette today that he and his 35-year-old Thai girlfriend bought their new home, located in Chalong's sleepy Soi Baan Klang, off Chao Fa West Rd, just two days ago.

“We spent Wednesday night next door and we left the house to get some food at about 5pm yesterday,” said his girlfriend.

“We came home about an hour later and found a wooden stick lying at the front door. Lars unlocked the security door and rushed inside to find his bag was missing,” she added.

Gone with the bag were a gold necklace, a gold bracelet, three gold rings, a mobile phone and Mr Lindgren’s passport.

The mosquito screen on the security door was broken open.

The couple believe the thief used the stick to break through the mesh and reach through the door to retrieve the bag, which was sitting on a counter just a few meters from the door.

They also found that the girlfriend’s handbag, which was sitting beside a window, had been emptied of her ATM and credit cards, some “important documents” and cash, and her bank book.

The mosquito screen on the window, which had security bars, had also been broken open.

“I’ve been in Phuket three times and I really like it, so I bought this house,” said a downhearted Mr Lundgren.

The couple transferred the money – 10 million baht – to buy the property on Wednesday.

“The house is very nice and quiet; that’s why we chose it, but somebody was probably watching us. It’s just bad luck,” he said.

“I lived in Australia for 32 years and I was supposed to run a property business in Phuket as I used to work in real estate, but now I have to stay in the house for awhile to organize everything as we will sell this house,” Mr Lundgren said.

The couple now plan to move to Bangkok.

“He sold everything in Australia to move here. Now we’ve lost heart and we’re planning to move. I quit my job in Bangkok. Now I have to go back and ask for my old job back,” she said.

Mr Lindgren said he had not had time to take out home and contents insurance.

Chalong Police are continuing their investigation into the robbery and the embassy has been notified of the passport loss.

Next-door neighbor Sujintana Roll, 49, told the Phuket Gazette, “My house used to get broken into, but that was many years ago. This area hasn’t had any robberies since.”

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/news/detail.asp?id=10845

-- Phuket Gazette 2011-08-19

[tragickingdom]

Still lucky..... he could be in Rayong by now.

[muratremix]

Well isn't it obvious? His girlfriend set-up this theft? Or am I being paranoid?

[pete66]

Well isn't it obvious? His girlfriend set-up this theft? Or am I being paranoid?

Swede again ... should we believe him? Scam? you be the judge...

[zzaa09]

Well isn't it obvious? His girlfriend set-up this theft? Or am I being paranoid?

Swede again ... should we believe him? Scam? you be the judge...

Under the category of:

Those things happen. Get on with your life.

[dude007]

still 9 million left....

[Just1Voice]

Ohhh, the possibilities are endless.

[MaxYakov]

Think nothing of it. Was just the neighborhood welcome committee that got a little carried away (no pun intended). Do you suppose the decision to buy was even partially based on its security features?

Edited August 19, 2011 by MaxYakov

[BKKBrit]

That's a lot of jewelry for a bloke

[bornhofen79]

Always I read too much bad news from Phuket. It can not be so bad. But read these news and what else to think?

[brianb1944]

Well isn't it obvious? His girlfriend set-up this theft? Or am I being paranoid?

Nah, if the g/f with accomplices did it, he would have been beaten to death

[bristolgeoff]

what was he doing carry all that cash and leaving it unattended.did his girlfriend know more than she says

[tominbkk]

Unfortunate, if it happened just as he said.....

[ThaiSold]

I agree, I know for a fact people who get robbed every single day of the week and I'm sure it amounts to more than 1,000,000 baht per day that's stolen. Maybe not in one go. but still. But what I really can't understand is the stupidity of people who think leaving valuables lying around the house is what is concidered safe. Would you leave 1,000,000 baht or even better yet say $30,000 just sitting on the kitchen table even if you've lived in the house for 20 years. You wouldn't do it anywhere especailly in an unsecured house (It was if he got in that easily).

It's like the 20 odd different people I know in california who had the car broken into, and their wallets and purses stolen that was sitting on the passenger seat. Som Nom Nah

Edited August 19, 2011 by metisdead
Post previously deleted edited out of quoted post.

[Pib]

Too bad this happened but if losing only 1M baht in jewelry and some cash after buying a 10M baht house completely/very negatively changes a person's ability to financially make ends meet, then maybe the house should not have been bought/the person should not have made a complete move to Phuket. Or maybe moving to Phuket was not the true desire and the robbery makes them want to go back to where they feel safer; not to imply robberies in Bangkok don't happen everyday (like in most cities).

[sweden4ever]

Do you think the insurance cover this???

Well isn't it obvious? His girlfriend set-up this theft? Or am I being paranoid?

Swede again ... should we believe him? Scam? you be the judge...

[Asianrider]

He's still got the house !!

[Mikelom]

I got robbed of 14M and a son.

Such is life, BEFORE you know its culture "and after", as long as you learn your way.

I picked up and started again.

So be it.

Such is life. More fool me! - as it was my error.

Believe me, I'm happier now with less than before! , cos I now have nothing.

Thailand is full of good women. It isn't as bad as many posters complain about. Have faith.

Don't put your assets into the view of anyone, apart from your accountant ABROAD. :jap:

Do that, and you are fine!

-m.

[Danlo]

Not a Swede a Turnip, who goes out and leaves 1 million baht's worth of goodies on the table, me thinks he has a good insurance policy...........

[Beetlejuice]

<speculation deleted>

I would not like to make any speculations at this point <speculation deleted>

Edited August 19, 2011 by Maestro
Taking the poster at his word, I have deleted all speculations from his post.

[TechnikaIII]

Sadly naive he must be, or it's an insurance scam... nothing more to say, except that this has nothing to do with nationality.

[wiscoman]

"The mosquito screen on the security door was broken open." I don't know if I would call that a security door if it had a mosquito screen

Edited August 19, 2011 by wiscoman

[Mikelom]

Lets hope that in the near future, we don`t hear about another farang murdered by a nearest and dearest for his money.

Seconded. Well said!

-m.

[maxtingtong]

Welcome to the cosy island

[Grove]

Well isn't it obvious? His girlfriend set-up this theft? Or am I being paranoid?

Guaranteed. She moved the bags etc. close to windows for easy reach. I mean, a 10 Mil house should have more packing place than close to a window especialy if there is 1 Mil in them.

6 PM. Broad daylight. New people. Nobody is going to think funny if the family come over for some help.

Quick move to Bangkok isn't it ?

[metisdead]

Some off topic posts have been removed.

[jfchandler]

A couple things here...

1. There's no info in the OP article that says the guy lost 1 million in cash... Rather, the TOTAL of all the various jewelry and stuff he and the girlfriend lost was valued at 1 million. There's no mention in the article of how much cash was taken.

2. There's no indication from the article that the thieves got inside the house... Rather, it seems they just poked their way through the door and windows mosquito screens, but didn't get thru the security door or window bars.

So given that, even using a stick, how exactly would they reach the guy's bag that was "several meters" inside the door?

All things considered, and given the relatively short timeframes involved, it does begin to sound like one of those less than accidental things...

[hotandhumid]

Fwiw I would say that she was involved, but who cares anyway.

[OldgitTom]

Stop whining & knocking. Thai woman in Naples had bag snatched - routine. Policeman at station commented, "Only once?"

American guy I met in France had throat slashed becoz he didn't have enuf money for the muggers.

Me, stitched up by Spanish filth becoz I omitted the bribe, oh, & wallet & bike stolen. It's a cr*p world out there.

Avoid tourist pits like Phuket, keep your hand on your valuables, use your head more than your wedding tackle, & you should survive. OGT

Edited August 19, 2011 by OldgitTom

[whybother]

Still lucky..... he could be in Rayong by now.

He hasn't been dead since 1989. Why would he be in Rayong?