Tourist nabbed at Phuket airport for allegedly stealing car phone-holder
By The Nation

 

Scene captured from CCTV's footage.

 

PHUKET: -- Tourist police on Monday arrested a Belgian tourist at Phuket International Airport for allegedly stealing a car phone-holder as he was about to leave the Kingdom.

 

Police found the box for the Bt699 Letto holder on Olivier Jerome Georges Verhaeghe and he allegedly admitted stealing it from the Remax Thailand Phuket shop on May 26.

 

The tourist was arrested under an arrest warrant issued by the Phuket Provincial Court on June 2.

 

Police obtained the arrest warrant after Nichapha-orn Chaiviriyawong, the owner of Remax shop in tambon Talad Yai in Phuket’s Muang district, posted a video clip on her Facebook wall that purportedly showed one of two tourists putting something from her shop into a bag of purchased goods before leaving the shop. 

 

Verhaeghe paid for his goods with a credit card, allowing police to learn his identity.

 

Police learned that the tourist planned to leave the Kingdom on Qatar Airlines Flight QR841 at 7.35pm, so they waited for him at the airport.

 

After the arrest, Verhaeghe was taken to Muang Police Station for further legal actions.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30317935

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-06-13

well ...........   do the crime ..... do the time  ..... I bet he'll wish he'd never attempted that all for 700 baht ....   crazy Belgian  

Probably trying to recover the cost of his travel insurance...

Maybe we can assign these police to the hunt for the Red Bull heir?

Erm.. So in a Shop in Phuket Town a Belgian guy, buys some things, pays by his Credit Card, but while exiting the shop also steels something?

 

That is extremely odd behavior, also extremely stupid. 

 

The Shop Owner posts the video on Facebook and I guess, also reported this to the police. 

 

The Police learned of his departure date and time... How is that possible ?

 

 

 

43 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Erm.. So in a Shop in Phuket Town a Belgian guy, buys some things, pays by his Credit Card, but while exiting the shop also steels something?

 

That is extremely odd behavior, also extremely stupid. 

 

The Shop Owner posts the video on Facebook and I guess, also reported this to the police. 

 

The Police learned of his departure date and time... How is that possible ?

 

 

 

Know his name, check hotel register from immigration, check with hotel, learn he checked out, and hotel/travel agent very likely knew his flight out.

2-3 phonecalls is all that is needed.

I think was easy as he was on an international flight: maybe on a domestic flight will not so easy to catch him at airport

 

He forgot the magic words.  "I only borrowed it."

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Police obtained the arrest warrant after Nichapha-orn Chaiviriyawong, the owner of Remax shop in tambon Talad Yai in Phuket’s Muang district, posted a video clip on her Facebook wall

Defamed the guy on Facebook?  He should be seeking recompense and I would assume that the compensation exceeds the 699 baht cost of the phone holder thingy.

Wonder if the same effort goes into catching Thais ? 

 

Seems excessive, Farecebook to Tourist cops lurking at the airport for one over sized Belgian.

Here's the original report on this:

 

Tourist accused of stealing Bt699 phone accessory in Phuket
 

4 minutes ago, metisdead said:

Here's the original report on this:

 

Tourist accused of stealing Bt699 phone accessory in Phuket
 

Thanks, I already thought I'd seen this before somewhere.

4 hours ago, kkerry said:

Maybe we can assign these police to the hunt for the Red Bull heir?

probably would not work. the cops would just sit around waiting for him to use his credit card.

Great for him! Now he sole for 699, and get to buy a new plane ticket home for 15000-20000. Great job!

Instead of taking an international flight out, he should have hired a taxi down to the border - he could at least then have got some use out of his car mobile phone holder on the way.  Sheeesh, what a waste, he never got to use his ill-gotten gains.

21 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Erm.. So in a Shop in Phuket Town a Belgian guy, buys some things, pays by his Credit Card, but while exiting the shop also steels something?

 

That is extremely odd behavior, also extremely stupid. 

 

The Shop Owner posts the video on Facebook and I guess, also reported this to the police. 

 

The Police learned of his departure date and time... How is that possible ?

 

 

 

If he entered the kingdom normally, he should have filled out that arrival and departure card, and on that you put the arriving and exit flight information.  Since he payed with a credit card, which looks like was actually his, they have his name.  So should be a simple matter to check with immigration, then check with the airline.