A FRENCH tourist has been sentenced to eight months in jail for stealing from the bag of a fellow traveller at Phuket International Airport as he was about to fly home from a holiday on Phuket.
Although Michael Isaac Jerozaiski, 24, initially maintained his innocence, he pleaded guilty when he appeared in court on August 11, Phuketwan has learned.
It was Jerozaiski's third visit to Phuket. He likes the island and hopes to return again.
Tachatchai police, who oversee Phuket International Airport, say that on the evening of July 5, Jerozaiski approached the scanning machine at the entrance to the Departures concourse. He was in the line behind a Thai man.
The Thai man forgot to pick up a piece of hand-luggage after being scrutinised by the scanner. He walked away, and Jerozaiski picked up the bag.
The Frenchman carried the bag to the toilets, went through the contents, removed 9800 baht in cash and an expensive telephone, then left the bag in the toilets.
Meanwhile, the Thai man realised he had left the piece of luggage, returned to the scanning machine, and raised the alarm when he found it was missing.
About the same time, a woman went to security officials and told them that she had been sitting on the upper floor above the concourse, waiting for her flight, watching other passengers below.
She said she saw the Thai man leave the bag, then she saw the Frenchman pick up the bag and head for the toilets.
Jerozaiski was arrested in the Departure lounge. The money was in a pocket of his jeans and the expensive telephone was in his shoulderbag.
His eight-month prison sentence was imposed on August 11.
Jerozaiski was listed as arrested expat number 113 of a list of 124 expats police say have been arrested on Phuket between January 1 and August 7.
Although Michael Isaac Jerozaiski, 24, initially maintained his innocence, he pleaded guilty when he appeared in court on August 11, Phuketwan has learned.
It was Jerozaiski's third visit to Phuket. He likes the island and hopes to return again.
Tachatchai police, who oversee Phuket International Airport, say that on the evening of July 5, Jerozaiski approached the scanning machine at the entrance to the Departures concourse. He was in the line behind a Thai man.
The Thai man forgot to pick up a piece of hand-luggage after being scrutinised by the scanner. He walked away, and Jerozaiski picked up the bag.
The Frenchman carried the bag to the toilets, went through the contents, removed 9800 baht in cash and an expensive telephone, then left the bag in the toilets.
Meanwhile, the Thai man realised he had left the piece of luggage, returned to the scanning machine, and raised the alarm when he found it was missing.
About the same time, a woman went to security officials and told them that she had been sitting on the upper floor above the concourse, waiting for her flight, watching other passengers below.
She said she saw the Thai man leave the bag, then she saw the Frenchman pick up the bag and head for the toilets.
Jerozaiski was arrested in the Departure lounge. The money was in a pocket of his jeans and the expensive telephone was in his shoulderbag.
His eight-month prison sentence was imposed on August 11.
Jerozaiski was listed as arrested expat number 113 of a list of 124 expats police say have been arrested on Phuket between January 1 and August 7.
Good, hope you'll remember your act!! As a Frenchman I regret this kind of attitude from a compatriot !! (C'est bien fait !!) ndlr "you deserve it"
Posted by serge on August 27, 2010 16:13