Cherng Talay Police were called to investigate the snatch-and-grab at 3:30pm. They arrived at the scene, in front of Moo Baan Tawan Place in Srisoonthorn, to find Ms Rattimaphon Piachim, 23, from Pattalung standing with her motorbike waiting for them.
“Ms Rattimaphon said that the thief snatched her purse in front of Tawan Place residence,” said case investigator Lt Suporn Muangkhai of the Thalang Police.
“All she could recall was that the thief was wearing a black T-shirt and a cap, and riding a Honda Wave motorbike. She could not remember the license plate numbers,” he said.
Ms Rattimaphon explained that she was heading home to Baan Pasak in Cherng Talay after dropping off her sister in Koh Kaew when she noticed a young man who had been following her from the Heroines Monument.
“When they reached in front of Tawan Place, the man pulled alongside and snatched her purse from her,” said Lt Suporn.
“She followed the thief, but he dumped her empty purse near Super Cheap in Baan Bangjo,” he added.
While fleeing with Ms Rattimaphon in pursuit, the thief removed her iPhone 5, B5,500 in cash and her bank cards from her poures, he added.
Lt Suporn said that police believe the thief is local teenager either from Cherng Talay or Srisoonthorn.
“And this probably is not his first theft. We are checking CCTV along the route from the Heroines Monument to Baan Bangjo, where he disappeared,” he said.