Pattaya —
A 10-year-old homeless boy in Pattaya was arrested for stealing multiple pieces of jewelry worth over 3.5 million baht after breaking into the residence of an Australian woman.
On November 16th at around 3:00 PM, Mrs. Hughes, an Australian national, filed a complaint to Pattaya police, stating that a thief had broken into her residence and stolen her expensive jewelry.
Mrs. Hughes told police that at around 2:20 PM, she left her residence at VN Residence 2 in Soi Pratumnak 5. Upon returning to her residence the next morning, November 16th, at about 9:45 AM, she discovered signs of a break-in. The bedroom door and sliding glass door at the back were open. Upon checking her belongings, she was shocked to find several pieces of her jewelry missing, including:
- Two Cartier bracelets valued at over 1,000,000 baht.
- One Rolex watch valued at around 600,000 baht.
- One Cartier watch valued at around 300,000 baht.
- Two gold necklaces valued at 800,000 baht.
- One gold ring worth around 45,000 baht.
- One pair of gold earrings valued at 100,000 baht.
- Other jewelry, bringing the total estimated loss to about 3,500,000 baht.
After receiving the report, the Pattaya Police Crime Investigation Unit and the Anti-Transnational Crime Division inspected the crime scene and nearby areas. They then reviewed CCTV footage, which revealed that at around 2:17 AM on November 16th, a young male suspect with a slim build, wearing a short-sleeved shirt, shorts, carrying a backpack, and holding a bag, entered the victim’s residence. The suspect left the premises at 3:07 AM.
Police quickly identified the suspect as a 10-year-old homeless boy, known as “Chang Noi” (real name unknown). He was regularly seen residing around Central Pattaya. The suspect was previously documented by Pattaya police as one of the homeless individuals in Pattaya.
Later that day, Pattaya police located the boy walking in an alley on Pattaya Third Road. The boy was carrying a blue bag and a backpack. Upon identifying themselves as police officers, they conducted a search and found numerous stolen items in his possession, including:
- Two gold necklaces
- Three gold bracelets
- Three gold bangles
- Two wristwatches
- A gold ring
- Diamond and gold earrings (16 pieces)
- A gold-encased Buddha amulet
- A smartphone with a protective case
- A power bank
- A Louis Vuitton handbag
- Various other amulets
Upon questioning, the boy admitted to stealing the items from a residence the previous night, though he could not recall the exact location. He was taken into custody and brought to the Pattaya Police Station, along with the recovered items, for further investigation and legal proceedings.
Editor’s Note: There have been some conflicting reports from Thai media about the boy’s true age, with some saying he may have lied and may actually be fourteen, or even older. However, police have not released a formal statement on this as of press time.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=–=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Help support The Pattaya News in 2024!
Need medical or travel insurance for your trip to Thailand? We can help!
