PHUKET: Police are hunting four men who threatened three young Swedish tourists with a long knife and robbed them of cash and personal belongings at a popular Phuket beach early yesterday.
The four men on two motorcycles pulled up as the Swedes were walking along the footpath outside the Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort and Spa at Karon beach about 1am, said police from Chalong in southern Phuket.
One man brandished the knife and demanded that the Swedes, who were heading to a 7-Eleven store, hand over their cash and goods.
A Swede named Sara did as she was told and gave the men 3700 baht, an iPhone and a camera. The men then sped off, officers said.
The footpath along the beach road has been a popular spot for thieves robbing tourists in the past. It is not known whether security camera footage was taken of yesterday's robbery.
One of the bandits had a braided pigtail, police said.
In May 2010 a Russian woman was robbed by a thief at Karon beach just a few days after Swedish tourist Emelia Andersson, 22, was knifed on the first day of her holiday by a snatch-and-flee thief while walking along the Karon beach road footpath.
The four men on two motorcycles pulled up as the Swedes were walking along the footpath outside the Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort and Spa at Karon beach about 1am, said police from Chalong in southern Phuket.
One man brandished the knife and demanded that the Swedes, who were heading to a 7-Eleven store, hand over their cash and goods.
A Swede named Sara did as she was told and gave the men 3700 baht, an iPhone and a camera. The men then sped off, officers said.
The footpath along the beach road has been a popular spot for thieves robbing tourists in the past. It is not known whether security camera footage was taken of yesterday's robbery.
One of the bandits had a braided pigtail, police said.
In May 2010 a Russian woman was robbed by a thief at Karon beach just a few days after Swedish tourist Emelia Andersson, 22, was knifed on the first day of her holiday by a snatch-and-flee thief while walking along the Karon beach road footpath.
Until the leaders of this island do something (action vs lip service) about "the garbage" on this island. it will continue to be an everyday thing. i just wonder how many incidents go unreported?
Posted by john s on February 12, 2012 13:56