The pair, arrested within hours, admitted the crime, saying they did it because it was easy and they wanted money to play computer games and go out on the town.
Police, led by Pol Lt Col Jamroon Plaiduang, deputy Chalong Investigations chief, surrounded a wooded area in Chalong Moo 10, off Soi Bangrae, to which they had tracked down the pair, then moved in to arrest them at just after midnight.
Seized as evidence were a white woman’s hand-bag, a mobile phone and a black-and-blue Phuket-registered Honda Click motorbike.
Police charged the pair (who for legal reasons may not be named) with having robbed a Russian woman, identified as Nadezhda Rubannikova, 50, about two hours earlier on Ketkwan Rd in Karon.
The woman reported that the boys had snatched her white purse, containing a Samsung cell-phone, B5,800 in cash and a number of other items.
The boys told police they were “not studying in school”, and had ridden their motorbike from Bangtao Beach intending to rob a tourist.
“It’s easy,” they said, “and the tourists can never remember our faces.” They admitted committing similar crimes in Karon three times and once in Patong.
Police said they sold the goods to obtain money to pay for playing computer games in game parlours.
In this case, the pair saw their victim strolling with a friend along the road, sped up and snatched her purse, breaking its strap, then fled towards Chalong roundabout.
– Source: Siang Tai