PATTAYA —
A 34-year-old man was detained by officers on Sunday (April 27th) after he allegedly took a mobile phone belonging to a 13-year-old boy who was squid fishing at Bali Hai Pier in Pattaya.
The incident occurred at approximately 9:00 P.M. when local officials received a complaint about a theft at the pier in Nongprue. Authorities promptly coordinated with Pattaya City Police to investigate.
Upon arrival, police found the suspect, identified only as Mr. Jinnawat, in custody along with the stolen device—an iPhone XR. The young victim, Thermo, had placed his phone on a concrete surface just a few meters away from where he was fishing when the suspect allegedly climbed over a railing, picked up the phone, and attempted to leave.
A witness, 19-year-old Mr. Thanabodi, who was fishing alongside the victim, stated to The Pattaya News that he saw the suspect taking the phone and immediately confronted him. Initially, the suspect questioned whether the phone truly belonged to the boy and demanded proof. After Thermo unlocked the device, confirming his ownership, Mr. Jinnawat hurriedly returned the phone but appeared visibly unsettled.
Mr. Jinnawat later claimed that he had no intention of stealing the device, stating that he worked at Bali Hai Pier selling ferry tickets and had assumed that the phone had been forgotten. He said he merely picked it up without ill intent and returned it when confronted.
Despite his explanation, authorities remained skeptical and transferred him to Pattaya City Police Station for further investigation.
