Aussie Couple In Phuket Arrested Over Fake Robbery Claim

[Lite Beer]

Aussie couple in Phuket arrested over fake robbery claim

Head of Patong Investigation Team Maj Thammasak Boonsong points out the items originally reported stolen.

Abdul Karim Al-Rajab and Zeidan Nouha look on as their belongings are searched.

PHUKET: An Australian couple on holiday in Phuket have been arrested for filing a bogus report of being robbed in Patong with the aim of filing a fake insurance claim.

Abdul Karim Al-Rajab, 31, and Zeidan Nouha, 30, were arrested at the Sunset Beach Resort on Phra Barami Road in Patong yesterday.

According to a police statement, the couple have have been charged with intentionally providing false information to police officers.

Maj Thammasak Boonsong of Patong Police told the Phuket Gazette today that the couple confessed to police that the robbery they reported taking place on Thaweewong Road on Sunday was fictitious.

In their confession, the couple admitted to creating the bogus robbery in order to get the proper documents needed to file a claim with their insurance company, Lt Col Thammasak said.

In their original report of the incident, filed with police at 11:30pm on Sunday, the couple claimed they were driving a motorbike near The Kee Resort when a man on another motorbike snatched Ms Nouha’s shoulder bag and rode off.

They described the man as wearing a helmet and a yellow shirt. The description given was similar to that of an American thief recently caught in Patong.

Police yesterday returned with the couple to the scene of the alleged theft, a popular thoroughfare near Soi Bangla, and asked taxi drivers and store owners about the incident.

However, not a single person remembered hearing or seeing the robbery, said police.

Growing suspicious of the couple’s claim, investigating officers asked them to return to the police station for further questioning.

The officers then obtained permission from the hotel manager to search the couple’s hotel room with Mr Al-Rajab and Ms Nouha present.

In the room safe were the black Cannon digital camera, two Oroton wallets and Ms Nouha’s and Mr Al-Rajab’s driver’s licenses, all reported stolen

Police found elsewhere in the room the pink Kakinu shoulder bag that Ms Nouha claimed was stolen.

Inside the bag was the credit card she also claimed was stolen, and in the couple’s luggage police found two white iPhone 4s – also reported stolen.

“We didn’t want to charge them, but recently there have been too many complaints from the [honorary] consuls [in Phuket]. They are always receiving reports of lost belongings, such as laptops, wallets and cameras,” said Patong Police Superintendent Arayapan Pukbuakao.

“Tourists of all nationalities commit these kinds of crimes. It’s always suspicious when they file a report and leave without making any effort to recover their stolen property. When we bring them to the general area the event supposedly occurred, they usually aren’t able to take us to the exact place they described in the report,” he said.

“These types of cases have increased since last year. So now we’ll charge all of them – we don’t want them to take advantage of us for their benefit,” he said.

Mr Al-Rajab and Ms Nouha are currently being detained at Patong Police Station.

They were due to return to Australia today, one of the investigating officers told the Gazette.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/archives/articles/2011/article11344.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2011-11-01

[KunMatt]

Wow. The BiB actually solved a case all by themselves. Bravo.

[skippybangkok]

oopssssssss guess they will be eating to local prison slop. Me tinks dey will regret their stupidity.

[TheWalkingMan]

A few days in the jug and then a speedy deportation with a year or two ban.

[TAWP]

Good job by the Bib!

[David48]

As an Aussie, I hang my head in shame, I thought as a nation we were better then this.

Without trying to raise the raciest card the 'victims' names of Abdul Karim Al-Rajab and Zeidan Nouha are not common names for Australian born citizens and more akin to a resettled Australian then one born in my country.

But he and his partner are (and could always have been) Australian ... so apologies for their actions.

Edit:- formatting change

Edited November 1, 2011 by David48

[seekingfriends]

i hope the aussie papers pick up on this story ,those names are not typical aussie. as another poster pointed out . but i hope they dont walk away scott free. james

[Shot]

"In the room safe were the black Cannon digital camera, two Oroton wallets and Ms Nouha's and Mr Al-Rajab's driver's licenses, all reported stolen

Police found elsewhere in the room the pink Kakinu shoulder bag that Ms Nouha claimed was stolen.

Inside the bag was the credit card she also claimed was stolen, and in the couple's luggage police found two white iPhone 4s – also reported stolen."

Not exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer.

[Kananga]

~~~“We didn’t want to charge them, but recently there have been too many complaints from the [honorary] consuls [in Phuket]. ~~~

What about all the complaints about the jetski operators, or the tuk tuk mafia that have been received from the consuls?

[krading]

i hope the aussie papers pick up on this story ,those names are not typical aussie. as another poster pointed out

Becoming more common by the boatload

[NowImEasy]

As an Aussie, I hang my head in shame, I thought as a nation we were better then this.

Without trying to raise the raciest card the 'victims' names of Abdul Karim Al-Rajab and Zeidan Nouha are not common names for Australian born citizens and more akin to a resettled Australian then one born in my country.

But he and his partner are (and could always have been) Australian ... so apologies for their actions.

Edit:- formatting change

Hey Mate.... No worries... Australia has a lot to be proud of.... Football, Rugby, Sailors, Life Guards, and my favorite Aussies, the Special Forces soldier, one of the most fierce warriors on the planet. As an American, I'd say don't worry about a couple of rich, spoiled, greedy and stupid pink shoed sissies giving Australia a bad name. Every country has jerks like these two. And as far as making any racial assumptions based on their names, fugedaboudit. The terd doesn't fall far from the turkey's a--hole.

[bruceky]

what is a 'common' aussie name these days anyways ... but as an aussie being over here... yes it is very embarrasing to read something like this... and I hope it doesn't become a stereotype that all aussies are like this. It's also saddening to think that people would do this for the sake of a few extra $$s... it's so petty. Not only are they damaging a good brand, they ruin their own name... especially if the news does go back...

I also hope the rest of the world doesn't think we're that doltish either

[Kananga]

As an Aussie, I hang my head in shame, I thought as a nation we were better then this.

Without trying to raise the raciest card the 'victims' names of Abdul Karim Al-Rajab and Zeidan Nouha are not common names for Australian born citizens and more akin to a resettled Australian then one born in my country.

But he and his partner are (and could always have been) Australian ... so apologies for their actions.

Streuth! Unless you are an Aborigine you only have to go back a few generations of your own bloodline to find resettled Australians.

[Wallaby]

I recall a similar thing happening a year or so ago that received a fair bit of publicity in oz. In that case I think they found the guy's belongings in his room as well. Where the hell are we getting these dickheads from, not all in oz are as stupid as that, but the number is growing.

Add it to the bar mat incident and we aren't really getting the best of names on our overseas trips.

Now if only the BiB had looked at the beach and saw harassment and threats of violence against tourists and stepped in, THAT would be a day to remember.

[gbird]

i hope the aussie papers pick up on this story ,those names are not typical aussie. as another poster pointed out

Becoming more common by the boatload

Aussies????????

[rotary]

They should have given tem 1 year in the Bkk Hilton, that would break them from the habit. they got off much to easy on this one. And yea the names were pretty strange also.

[nocturn]

note to self: leave stuff you plan to claim was stolen at home.

[eastlight]

what is a 'common' aussie name these days anyways ... but as an aussie being over here... yes it is very embarrasing to read something like this... and I hope it doesn't become a stereotype that all aussies are like this. It's also saddening to think that people would do this for the sake of a few extra $s... it's so petty. Not only are they damaging a good brand, they ruin their own name... especially if the news does go back...

I also hope the rest of the world doesn't think we're that doltish either

Don't worry, everybody knows they're not real Aussies

[supaprik]

“These types of cases have increased since last year. So now we’ll charge all of them – we don’t want them to take advantage of us for their benefit,” he said.

Wouldn't want that would "he" now? gotta love these Thai coppers......

And Aussies my ARSE......

[atyclb]

~~~"We didn't want to charge them, but recently there have been too many complaints from the [honorary] consuls [in Phuket]. ~~~

What about all the complaints about the jetski operators, or the tuk tuk mafia that have been received from the consuls?

Jet ski and tuk tuk are smply on a different payment plan, they pay police in advance or during operations. Arrested tourists pay after booking. Police, the pride of the nation.

[merlen10002]

i hope the aussie papers pick up on this story ,those names are not typical aussie. as another poster pointed out . but i hope they dont walk away scott free. james

G-day mate,, no trying to a smart ass but have a look at the Sydney phone book, the most common name in it is Nu,,,, never was a typical aussie name but sure as hell is now, many names in there like this two, sad but are now very typical,, poor old Smith lost out many moons ago.

[seekingfriends]

i hope the aussie papers pick up on this story ,those names are not typical aussie. as another poster pointed out . but i hope they dont walk away scott free. james

G-day mate,, no trying to a smart ass but have a look at the Sydney phone book, the most common name in it is Nu,,,, never was a typical aussie name but sure as hell is now, many names in there like this two, sad but are now very typical,, poor old Smith lost out many moons ago.

hi merlen . i know about the names in phone book . it was on the tv a few weeks ago . you wont see those people in bali . but these two scam artists are turning up more and more. james

[Kananga]

G-day mate,, no trying to a smart ass but have a look at the Sydney phone book, the most common name in it is Nu,,,, never was a typical aussie name but sure as hell is now, many names in there like this two, sad but are now very typical,, poor old Smith lost out many moons ago.

It's just old immigrant names replaced by new immigrant names. In 30 years there will be different immigrant names and the Nguyen's will be bitching about how its not like it was in 2011.

[bridge2bridge]

Going on their names i would say middle east, must be australian citizens, these people give the real aussie a bad name, hope they get what they deserve.

[FritsSikkink]

As an Aussie, I hang my head in shame, I thought as a nation we were better then this.

Without trying to raise the raciest card the 'victims' names of Abdul Karim Al-Rajab and Zeidan Nouha are not common names for Australian born citizens and more akin to a resettled Australian then one born in my country.

But he and his partner are (and could always have been) Australian ... so apologies for their actions.

Streuth! Unless you are an Aborigine you only have to go back a few generations of your own bloodline to find resettled Australians.

:jap:

[FritsSikkink]

Going on their names i would say middle east, must be australian citizens, these people give the real aussie a bad name, hope they get what they deserve.

The real aussie is the aboriginal

[Kananga]

Going on their names i would say middle east, must be australian citizens, these people give the real aussie a bad name, hope they get what they deserve.

The real aussie is the aboriginal

A point the third generation immigrants would prefer to ignore!

[fred110]

Good job by the Bib!

Yes, good job, now they can go after the jet-skis and tuk-tuks

[namoi]

bloody shame, but

what do you call an englishman that marries an abroginal

social climber

what do you call their kids

ORSTRALIAN

proud to be 1

[outofoz]

G-day mate,, no trying to a smart ass but have a look at the Sydney phone book, the most common name in it is Nu,,,, never was a typical aussie name but sure as hell is now, many names in there like this two, sad but are now very typical,, poor old Smith lost out many moons ago.

Phone book isn't much to go by... I haven't had a landline for personal use (business, yes) for years ...nor been in the phone book.. many people i know would be similar