Pattaya-
Police and Pattaya Marine Rescue have spent the past day hunting for any signs of a male suspect who allegedly stole food from a 7-Eleven convenience store before fleeing into the sea in Jomtien late Thursday night.
Major Palakorn Trachunit of the Pattaya City Police was notified of the incident at a 7-Eleven convenience store in Jomtien Soi 7 just before midnight Thursday night.
Police and The Pattaya News arrived at the store to find the manager, 34 year old Mr. Tienchai Kayanying.
He told police that a Thai man, aged around 40, had allegedly stolen food from the store. He purchased a small item but reportedly had many more in a bag he carried with him.
Tienchai asked to look in his bag but the suspect refused before running away. Tienchai chased after the suspect but the suspect went into the sea and vanished across the street from the store.
At this point, Tienchai called police for assistance who brought in Pattaya Marine Rescue as well.
Police and rescue divers took two hours to search for the suspect using a boat and searching around buoys but failed.
Yesterday, Friday June 19, Pattaya Marine rescue along with a dive team spent several hours searching the area where the suspect had vanished near Jomtien Soi seven but found nothing. There were reports by witnesses that the man appeared to be a strong swimmer and may have managed to swim further down the beach and escape.
