Inside Man: safecracking US national arrested in Bangkok

By Coconuts Bangkok

BANGKOK: -- American national Harris Jay Vertlieb was arrested in Bangkok on Wednesday for allegedly breaking into 53 safe deposit boxes at the well known Seascape Beach Resort in Koh Samui.

Police arrested the suspect near a spa on Sukhumvit Soi 13 in the Watthana district.

Mr Vertlieb, 53, has been accused of drugging both a security guard and a hotel receptionist with sleep-inducing medication prior to carrying out the heist. [more...]

Full story: http://www.coconutsb...ted-in-bangkok/

-- COCONUTS Bangkok 2013-01-10

I wouldn't be surprised if the guard and the receptionist let the guy drug them after receiving a red banknote each.

I wouldn't be surprised if the guard and the receptionist let the guy drug them after receiving a red banknote each.

yeah, right, those thais will do anything for a hundred baht.

The BiB cracked down on his safecracking, don't get all cracked up over the comment.

Doesn't seem like the type of guy who would be a hotel safe box thief

- http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release/harris-j-vertlieb-earns-membership-with-stanford-whos-who-241539.php

But who knows?

Don't know what the footage shows that is so clear. Everything is a bit non-circumstantial as it is pure Thai allegation (typical in a case like this). Nothing else to say about that.

I wouldn't be surprised if the guard and the receptionist let the guy drug them after receiving a red banknote each.

yeah, right, those thais will do anything for a hundred baht.

is it hard to believe some stupid yank can be just a thief without helps of any one ???????????????? so please I know many Thais who wouldnt do everything for one hundred bath

I wouldn't be surprised if the guard and the receptionist let the guy drug them after receiving a red banknote each.

yeah, right, those thais will do anything for a hundred baht.

is it hard to believe some stupid yank can be just a thief without helps of any one ???????????????? so please I know many Thais who wouldnt do everything for one hundred bath

@laurentbkk... apparently yes it is, plenty of people here that wouldn't pass up an opportunity to trash the Thais...

"safe cracker" is an overestimation. He just stole keys from the receptionist

"safe cracker" is an overestimation. He just stole keys from the receptionist

LondonThai... you must admit though

Inside Man: safecracking US national arrested in Bangkok

Sounds much better then.

"Guy steals keys and robs safe deposit box"

Don't know what the footage shows that is so clear. Everything is a bit non-circumstantial as it is pure Thai allegation (typical in a case like this). Nothing else to say about that.

It says the hotel’s camera clearly showed the him carrying out the crime and he was identified by hotel staff..

noitom Today, 21:54

Doesn't seem like the type of guy who would be a hotel safe box thief

- http://www.24-7press...-who-241539.php

Stanford Who's Who Executive Publishing will print whatever you want upon payment of a small fee.

But who knows?

Doesn't seem like the type of guy who would be a hotel safe box thief

- http://www.24-7press...-who-241539.php

But who knows?

"You can never tell a book by its cover"...

2 million baht eh? That would last him about 6 months

I wouldn't be surprised if the guard and the receptionist let the guy drug them after receiving a red banknote each.

On Samui, most Thais would not get out of bed for less than 500 .

"safe cracker" is an overestimation. He just stole keys from the receptionist

Cute conjecture, but it takes two keys to open a safe deposit box. The holder of the box has one and the desk administrator has one. Couild this guy have been setup by an owner or GM who has access to all the boxes?

"safe cracker" is an overestimation. He just stole keys from the receptionist

Cute conjecture, but it takes two keys to open a safe deposit box. The holder of the box has one and the desk administrator has one. Couild this guy have been setup by an owner or GM who has access to all the boxes?

Sounds rather far-fetched. More likely un-safe deposit boxes with both keys at reception.

"Inside Man" (arranged or provided by someone within an organization) - Does this mean that he was employed by the hotel in some capacity?

I went there and took a look.

The picture in the OP is not from there.

The boxes are small, with tiny padlocks.

I went there and took a look.

The picture in the OP is not from there.

The boxes are small, with tiny padlocks.

Guess we will have to wait for the re enactment pics.

Doesn't seem like the type of guy who would be a hotel safe box thief

- http://www.24-7press...-who-241539.php

But who knows?

"You can never tell a book by its cover"...

I can tell whats in a hustler magazine, from the cover.

I went there and took a look.

The picture in the OP is not from there.

The boxes are small, with tiny padlocks.

Single padlock per box?

I went there and took a look.

The picture in the OP is not from there.

The boxes are small, with tiny padlocks.

That would be one secure hotel if those were the boxes in the picture.

I'm guessing at the writing of this story they hadn't recovered the loot though it mentions (speculates?) he took it to Bangkok. I wonder how much the hotel will be on the hook for phantom goods not recovered. Don't hotels typically only take responsibility for valuables if you store them at the desk lockers? I have never used them too much but the times I have, I've never been asked what I placed in them.

noitom Today, 21:54

Doesn't seem like the type of guy who would be a hotel safe box thief

- http://www.24-7press...-who-241539.php

Stanford Who's Who Executive Publishing will print whatever you want upon payment of a small fee.

But who knows?

His listing their proves the fact what did it say did nothing but a con artiest

Doesn't seem like the type of guy who would be a hotel safe box thief

- http://www.24-7press...-who-241539.php

But who knows?

Believe nothing what you hear and half what you see. Has kept me in pretty good stead in Asia.

Got to love the jump to conclusion gang here. I know Harris through friends in Singapore and all that is known is that when Harris was checking out he was wearing a hat. The robber was a white guy in a hat. BIB put two and two together and got 5. He also has alibi for ge time of the robbery.

I wouldn't be surprised if the guard and the receptionist let the guy drug them after receiving a red banknote each.

On Samui, most Thais would not get out of bed for less than 500 .

Or into it.

So they didn't catch him with any money and they didn't do a photo op with him pointing at the recovered loot and they didn't do a photo op of him re-enacting the crime and they didn't show any of the cctv showing him in the act. Sounds like they might not have a strong case.

Anyway, if they give suspected murderers bail I am sure he will get bail too and he can just leave the country to visit his dear old mum. But maybe the BiB only lets alleged Kiwi killers have bail.

Well, since this is all speculation, here's my take. He pissed someone off at the hotel, the lock boxes were raided by someone, probably with the help of the hotel staff, they needed to pin it on someone, so the hotel staff pinned it on a guy who had pissed them off already and who kind of resembled who they saw on the cctv, so bada bing, there you go. haul him off to jail, and next week some hotel staff will be driving new motorcycs.. After all, all us farang look alike anyway..