PHUKET: A man has told Phuket police that three thieves climbed through his bedroom window early today and stole a safe containing gems and jewellery valued at 200,000 baht.

Sommas Choker, 40, who runs the Bloom Bloom flower shop in southern Phuket, said that he managed to identify one of the culprits as a man with whom he once had a relationship.

According to Lieutenant Nitikorn Rawang of Chalong Police, one of the three men covered Khun Sommas's head with a blanket whle the other two tried to open the safe at his home in Soi Nakok, Chalong.

Khun Sommas managed to pull back the blanket and saw Sontaya Tanawaro, 27, with whom he'd had a relationship five years earlier.

Khun Sontaya stabbed him in the neck, Khun Sommas said, a wound that later required eight stitches at Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket City.

He added that he'd seen Khun Sontaya on a motorcycle around his house a few days earlier but thought nothing of it because their relationship had ended and Khun Sontaya was now married, he said.

The men failed to open the safe and so took it with them about 3am. It held rings, watches and necklets valued at 200,000 baht, Khun Sommas said.

Phuket police have been alerted to look out for Khun Sontaya and the other two men.