A SWEDISH man accused of stealing 85 mobile telephones claims he found them in a box in Phuket carpark and denies he is a thief.
Identified at first only as ''Mr John,'' the man was arrested after Patong police traced one of the telephones, missing since March 3, to Pawaret Deesamer, 34.
Khun Pawaret said that Reutairat Raksaseen, 29, had given him 20 telephones to sell. Khun Reutairat, police said they quickly learned, was the girlfriend of ''Mr John.''
When questioned in turn by police, she said ''Mr John'' gave her some of the telephones and told her to sell them at bars in and around Nanai Road in Patong, where she has an apartment.
When confronted, ''Mr John'' said he found the mobile telephones in a box in the carpark at Jungceylon shopping mall.
The owner of Silk Telephone Company, Supon Thinpoe, had told police that he left the box of new Nokia mobile telephones in his parked car, with a window slightly open.
Police said ''Mr John'' owed rent on his motorcycle, had moved out of his own apartment and in with his girlfriend after not paying rent, was unemployed and had overstayed his visa.
''Mr John'' has since been identified as John Redling, 38. Inquiries are continuing.
Identified at first only as ''Mr John,'' the man was arrested after Patong police traced one of the telephones, missing since March 3, to Pawaret Deesamer, 34.
Khun Pawaret said that Reutairat Raksaseen, 29, had given him 20 telephones to sell. Khun Reutairat, police said they quickly learned, was the girlfriend of ''Mr John.''
When questioned in turn by police, she said ''Mr John'' gave her some of the telephones and told her to sell them at bars in and around Nanai Road in Patong, where she has an apartment.
When confronted, ''Mr John'' said he found the mobile telephones in a box in the carpark at Jungceylon shopping mall.
The owner of Silk Telephone Company, Supon Thinpoe, had told police that he left the box of new Nokia mobile telephones in his parked car, with a window slightly open.
Police said ''Mr John'' owed rent on his motorcycle, had moved out of his own apartment and in with his girlfriend after not paying rent, was unemployed and had overstayed his visa.
''Mr John'' has since been identified as John Redling, 38. Inquiries are continuing.
