Two foreign tourists have been accused of shoplifting at a convenience store in Patong, Phuket, after a Thai woman reportedly noticed them hiding merchandise inside a bag and alerted staff.
The pair, described as a couple, have also been linked through social media allegations to a separate theft at a clothing shop in Rawai, where trousers worth 1,595 baht were reportedly taken.
The allegations were shared on The Phuket Times Facebook page, which published an account from a Thai woman who claimed she witnessed suspicious behaviour while shopping at a convenience store in Patong.
According to the woman, she noticed the tourists placing several products inside a bag while browsing the store. She discreetly alerted an employee as the pair approached the checkout counter.
When staff questioned them about the merchandise, both tourists allegedly denied taking anything. However, the woman claimed that a subsequent search uncovered unpaid products concealed inside their bag.
Phuket Times subsequently published another theft allegation involving two tourists believed to be the same couple, this time at a clothing shop in Rawai.
According to the post, the pair allegedly took a pair of trousers valued at 1,595 baht. The woman was accused of keeping watch while the man took the item.
The post also claimed the two celebrated by high-fiving afterwards, although the allegation has not been verified.
A separate report published by French-language outlet ZoneSamui on October 12 repeated the allegations about both incidents, citing social media footage and surveillance images. However, the report did not establish that police had confirmed the alleged thefts.
The tourists’ nationalities remain unconfirmed, and it is unclear when either alleged incident occurred or whether the shops filed formal police complaints.
In related news:
- Foreign family caught using children to steal from Phuket convenience store
- CCTV captures souvenir shop theft by foreign woman in Phuket
- Foreigner confronts Phuket police after disturbance, theft attempt
The story Phuket tourist couple accused of shoplifting in Patong as seen on Thaiger News.