[Video Report] Alleged French ATM scammers caught bribing Phuket police
Phuket Gazette


Karim Akrour (yellow shirt) handed cash over to a police contact in hopes of buying Karin Radoun's freedom. Photo: Chutharat Plerin

PHUKET: -- Phuket Police arrested two French nationals for bribing an officer of the law yesterday, while a third man is still on the run.

Karin Radoun, 28, was also charged with ATM fraud and being in the country illegally. He and Karim Akrour, 36, denied all the charges when presented to the press this morning.

Police are still hunting for a third suspect, a Frenchman identified only as “David”.

On Wednesday evening, Mr Radoun and David were captured on CCTV interacting for 11 minutes with a Siam Commercial Bank ATM at the entrance to the Baan Yin Dee Boutique Resort in Patong.

During that time, the machine confiscated three cards from them after they failed to enter the correct pin number multiple times.

Officers patrolling the area had been told to keep an eye out for ATM skimmers, and after noticing that the men had been using the ATM for an unusually long time, decided to investigate.

“As our officers pulled up on a motorcycle, both the suspects fled to a motorbike and drove off,” said Sutthichai Thianpho of the Patong Police.

As soon as the police arrive, Mr Radoun and David flee the scene.

Police radioed ahead, but within minutes Mr Radoun and David had ditched the bike.

Mr Radoun jumped into a pond, where he was found shortly thereafter. Mr David escaped.

Mr Radoun told police that David was a French national who had offered him 10,000 baht for a ride to the ATM machine. He then offered the officers a bribe to let him go, Col Sutthichai said

Mr Radoun allegedly offered the Patong Police officers 5,500 Euro (about 245,000 baht) and a regular monthly pay-off of 150,000 baht.

Patong Police accepted – in preparation for a sting operation.

“Mr Radoun said he’d call a friend, Mr Akrour, to bring us the money,” Col Sutthichai said.

Patong police arranged for a French national to meet Mr Akrour at the McDonald’s in Jungceylon. Once the money was handed over, officers moved in to arrest Mr Akrour.

Although Mr Akrour told police that he had brought the money not as a bribe, but to post bail for Mr Radoun, he was charged with attempting to bribe an officer of the law.

Officers discovered a number of ATM cards when they searched his bag, but have not yet charged him with a crime in connection with the cards.

“We will continue to investigate him. More charges may be added later,” Col Sutthichai said.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2014/-Video-Report-Alleged-French-ATM-scammers-caught-bribing-Phuket-police-25654.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2014-02-22

Think this sums it up

If you gots to bribe, make sure you bribe enough.

Nice French names.....

Did you see that!!! PLay it again, quiick!

That Thai guy had no helmet on....... THB500 right there guys

Mon Diue.. ... and it didn't work? what is the world is coming to that you can't bribe a Thai

official any more....Merde

An Algerian smirk on the one lad.

real french names... imported thieves that got nationality

first the French invade them, now they are complaining that they are invaded by arabs. so what is the problem?

Nanai soi 8 mob again, for sure Well overdue for a clean out of these ''french rejects" for once and for all.

I've had some uninvited personal interaction with some of them and they are the most arrogant, ignorant people bottomfeeders i have ever met..

They move in and take over in areas all around the world, and french authorities are glad to see them move..Easier to keep paying them all the easy benefits they get and not have them living in France, where they have totally taken over many cities.

One of these guys had no passport and the other no visa, and this is common amongst them.

PS nice photo on PW with the smaller one in a BIBs headlock...more of this please...

Well done this time by the BIB..classic sting!

[Well done this time by the BIB..classic sting!]

Maybe a double sting. Where has the bribe money actually gone?

Mr Radoun allegedly offered the Patong Police officers 5,500 Euro (about 245,000 baht) and a regular monthly pay-off of 150,000 baht.

What ?!?

What happened to be 500b bribe and we're all good ?

That's a hell of bribe..! Is that the current rate of the market ?

Here is the problem,

The idiot French offered way way way too much money, cop was smart enough to figure out if the idiot is willing to pay that much now , he would pay triple once arrested and 6 times the amount when friend is also busted.

Watch and learn future scammers, do not make an offer but ask how much it would cost to walk away

real french names... imported thieves that got nationality

They could be third or more generation French - not that it matters in the slightest. At least they are not locals - who can get the ATM proceeds directly from the the foreign card owner - one way or another.

[Well done this time by the BIB..classic sting!]

Maybe a double sting. Where has the bribe money actually gone?

Kept as evidence for future court dates

real french names... imported thieves that got nationality

They could be third or more generation French - not that it matters in the slightest. At least they are not locals - who can get the ATM proceeds directly from the the foreign card owner - one way or another.

So you would feel better if your money was stolen by anyone? As long as it's not a Thai ?

Mon Diue.. ... and it didn't work? what is the world is coming to that you can't bribe a Thai

official any more....Merde

You people take the piss if they take a bribe and take the piss if they don't.

I give a thumbs up to those officers,credit where credit is due

first the French invade them, now they are complaining that they are invaded by arabs. so what is the problem?

For me, no problem at all..the French colonisers are now getting their payback ...good to see

Just request them to keep the results of their actions in France.

Karim Akrour (YELLOW SHIRT) handed cash over to a police

haha, haha

Think this sums it up

way to go cops! u see some thai cops do good! even though the banks will give them money as a bribe

Once again real French name I feel ashamed for my country.

yeah, Jean-Mari Le Pen is a more authentic French name, I'm sure you're not ashamed of him...

Mr Radoun told police that David was a French national who had offered him 10,000 baht for a ride to the ATM machine. He then offered the officers a bribe to let him go, Col Sutthichai said.

Am I that cheap? I am a Col. You made a wrong amount of offer.

It's always North Afrikans, with French passports breaking the law......

The real French are having honest and peaceful holidays in Kata and Karon. These guys are Arabs and North Africans with French passports, bringing their good-for-nothings from France to Thailand. I am sure the French are very happy to see these "French" locked up in a thai jail for a very long time.

yeah, Jean-Mari Le Pen is a more authentic French name, I'm sure you're not ashamed of him...

He is an honest man, who stepped on the toes of the French elite.

Once again real French name I feel ashamed for my country.

Just as French as John Burger.

Once again real French name I feel ashamed for my country.

I feel ashamed (once again) too, but not for the same reason.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/704797-french-tourist-threatens-phuket-shop-assistant-with-scissors/#entry7446921

By the way, delinquency is, IMHO, usually related to a low level of education and poor parental monitoring (which is often caused by unfavourable economic conditions), and not directly to the ethnicity or religion of the people concerned. When certain poor populations immigrate in rich countries, they end usually regrouped in a sort of economic ghetto (mainly because of the cost of accommodations) where it is really hard to improve their situation while following the laws strictly. In France, I have noticed, for example and among other things, that it is generally the less experienced teachers who are assigned the mission to educate people living in deprived neighborhoods and suburbs, where most of the poorest immigrants live in this country. Moreover, it was found that employers are oftent reluctent to offer job interviews to people living in certain areas (poorest suburbs), even if they are qualified for the job. So, there is also a segregation related to the applicants' address. There is no doubt that this does not facilitate proper integration and equal opportunities, and also good relationship with long-time established nationals. There is a strong feeling of injustice in these areas.

While some ethnic groups are, apparently, more often involved in some form of delinquency, it is not, again IMHO, directly related to their ethnicity, race or religion, but rather to the conditions under which their parents and themselves live, and to their education level (and the quality thereof) most of the time.

Not even one poster on here congratulating the BiB for doing a fine job? Just a load of unfounded and bias accusations against the police along with the usual racialists of extremely low intellect or a place where the brain-dead like to hang out.

And so we have another Thai bashing thread. Will be interesting to see how far all this crap will escalate too?

Two new french "paper" peoples will stay in Thailand for a long time.........