| Saturday,
November 3, 2007
Don’s Mall robbed
RAWAI: A gang of seven teenagers, six of them masked, tore off
the doors to Don’s Mall Minimart at 4 am yesterday, making
off with computers and money from cash registers.
Don Battles, founder of the Rawai landmark mall, told the Gazette,
“This was a well-planned teenage gang. Six broke into the
minimart while one was the lookout. They then broke into the butcher’s
shop. They stole computers and till float [money].”
The amount stolen has yet to be determined.
“Chalong police are being very helpful and doing a thorough
investigation. I believe the police are doing the best they can,”
Mr Battles said today.
“After speaking with other residents, reading the papers
and talking to the police, the crime problem in Phuket seems to
be rampant and out of control, which will discourage tourists
from coming to Phuket immensely unless this can be brought under
control.
“I was told by the Superintendent of Chalong Police Station
three years ago that they are short about 100 officers. I hope
they can increase their staff and bring this under control before
it does too much damage,” he said.
Mr Battles added that he will install steel roll-up doors to stop
further break-ins. “It is expensive, but necessary,”
he said.Thursday, November 1, 2007
Police nab prolific thief
PHUKET CITY: Phuket City Police announced the arrest of suspected
thief Somsak Kaewdee, 27, at a press conference on Tuesday.
Somsak, a resident of tambon Thepkrasattri, in Thalang district,
is accused of robbing homes and small shops throughout Phuket.
He was arrested at the entrance of Soi Hone Sai Thong, in Moo
7, Rassada, on Monday at 2:30 am, said Lt Col Sompong Boonrat
of Phuket City police.
At the time of his arrest, Somsak was wanted under eight warrants
for his involvement in eight robberies since June: four in Phuket
City, two in Thalang and two in Kathu, he said.
Police were able to collect fingerprints at many of the crime
scenes. After checking the prints against their records, Somsak
was revealed as the main suspect, said Col Sompong.
He added that Somsak had provided the names of two friends as
his accomplices – “Jessada” and “Su”
– and had confessed to robberies in all three districts
of Phuket; so far a total of 12 in all.
Col Sompong said that police know the location of the homes of
Somak’s accomplices.
Somsak told police that the gang wanted to steal cash only and
targeted private properties and shops. He estimated that the gang
had stolen over one million baht in cash, said Col Sompong.
He added that Somsak said the trio looked for houses with slide
windows that could easily be broken into and that their largest
haul from a robbery was 1.2 million baht from a home in Kissalai
village on Chao Fa East Rd.
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