PHUKET CRIME

Friday, June 6, 2003
Goods worth B3m stolen in yacht break-ins

AO CHALONG: Electronic and other equipment valued at more than 3 million baht was stolen in a series of robberies from yachts moored in Ao Chalong on Friday, May 30.
Australian Brian Ritchie told the Gazette that about noon he discovered that his yacht, Beyond Rotto, had been broken into and that equipment worth about 1 million baht was missing.
At 2 pm he reported the robbery to Chalong Police Station, where he discovered that three other yachts, Onyx, Serene Dream and La Malou, had also been broken into. Equipment worth about 2 million baht had been stolen from these three boats.
Two officers from the Marine Police and five from Chalong Police Station finally arrived to inspect Beyond Rotto the following day at 11 am, accompanied by a forensic scientist.
Pol Capt Chana Sutthimas of Chalong Police Station explained that the delay had been because the scientist had been unavailable before then.
He said, “From evidence gathered at the crime scene, we know that at least two people committed the crime. The prime suspects are people who have knowledge of boats. They may be boat workers.”
Mr Ritchie said that he had told police who he believed the perpetrators might be, but that the police were reluctant to act on those suspicions because it would involve officers searching other boats.
Pol Capt Chana explained, “We can’t board somebody’s boat just because we suspect them. We need a warrant to do that and we have yet to identify suspects.
“If the robbers were to sell some of the stolen equipment, then it would be easier for us to track them down,” he added.
Mr Ritchie is offering cash for information leading to the arrest of the robbers. “I am offering a 10,000-baht reward for anyone who comes forward and identifies the thieves,” he said.

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