Foreign family raises safety concerns after Phuket home invasion, theft

PHUKET: A foreign family residing in Phuket has raised safety concerns after a thief invaded their villa in Chalong while four people, including two children, were in the house. The presence of the residents, who were not even sleeping yet, failed to deter the suspect, who searched the premises and made off with valuables worth over B50,000.

The home invasion and theft were reported to Chalong Police station by Mr Ilya P., a Russian national, on Thursday (Sept 14). Lt Col Somkiat Sarasit, a long-time officer of Chalong Police, received the complaint at 8.23pm, as per the report provided to The Phuket News by Mr Ilya.

The expat reported that at around 10.20pm the previous night (Sept 13), an unknown suspect entered his rented villa, spent approximately 10 minutes searching the house for valuables, and escaped undetected.

The incident was recorded by the CCTV system, though the camera’s date setting had not been configured properly, resulting in incorrect date on the recording.

According to the victim’s complaint, stolen items included Mr Ilya’s passport, credit cards, and Thai driving license; a golden ring worth around B5,000; a wallet and a purse worth B19,000; motorcycle keys; and B33,700 in cash.

Speaking to The Phuket News, Mr Ilya explained that the loss of documents has complicated his urgent trip abroad later this month, but he is more concerned about the safety and security of his family who will stay in Phuket.

The suspect, an unidentified Asian national, entered the villa and took his time to search despite the presence of Mr Ilya, his wife, and two children, who attend private educational institutions in Phuket.

The family is now considering relocation as Mr Ilya’s wife and children do not feel comfortable staying in the area.

Mr Ilya has asked Phuket residents to contact Phuket Tourist Police or Chalong Police if they find a discarded Russian passport in his name or have any relevant information regarding his case.

In August, a similar home invasion was reported in Kamala. A local expatriate visited Kamala Police Station on Aug 15 to report a burglary that occurred at his villa at night and requested an investigation.

The case became public knowledge when the victim asked fellow Phuket residents for help in retrieving his Thai bank card and his wife’s Thai driving license.

In that case, the thief entered a rented villa at 4.30am while the occupants, a family of three including a one-year-old child, were asleep in the bedroom. Even the presence of a dog failed to prevent the thief’s intrusion, though it was the dog who alerted the husband of the suspect’s presence.