UDON THANI — An elderly British man living in Udon Thani province in northeastern Thailand has had his beloved tricycle motorcycle stolen and is appealing to police to help recover his cherished vehicle after CCTV footage captured two thieves in the act.
Wayne, 81, filed a police report with Deputy Inspector Lieutenant Colonel Thiraphan Kaewphon Yo at Muang Udon Thani Police Station on the morning of September 2 through a translator. The stolen vehicle is a blue and bronze tricycle motorcycle, also known as a Sky Lab, with white seats. Despite being second-hand, the motorcycle was in excellent working condition and valued at 27,000 baht.
The British retiree had been using the vehicle for approximately two years, with help from close Thai friends who assisted with repairs and modifications to keep it running like new. He had parked it in front of his home for about a month in the Dong Udom area of Nong Bua subdistrict in Muang Udon Thani district.
CCTV footage from an adjacent curtain shop captured the two thieves during the crime at 6:25 AM on August 30. The suspects, both men aged approximately 25-30 years old with tall, slim builds, arrived on a white automatic motorcycle without license plates.
They parked in front of the tricycle, with the passenger getting off to push the vehicle out before climbing aboard to steer it. The motorcycle driver used his foot to push the rear of the tricycle as they fled along the ring road toward the Santaphon College intersection in Ban Nong Kham, Nong Bua subdistrict. The entire theft took approximately two minutes.
“I’m very sad about losing my vehicle because I loved it so much,” Wayne said. “In my free time, I enjoyed driving around to enjoy the breeze and sightsee at various locations around Udon Thani city. I’m asking police to help track down the thieves and return my beloved tricycle.”
Wayne explained that he was previously a restaurant business owner in Liverpool, England, and has been living in Thailand for about 10 years. He now works as a translator for a law firm in Udon Thani city and purchased his home there with help from a Thai female friend. He is not married to a Thai woman.
The British man expressed gratitude to Thai police for taking time to help him and for recognizing the importance of protecting foreigners who fall victim to theft. However, he said that if the suspects are caught, he doesn’t want to meet them face-to-face because he fears he might not be able to resist using his Muay Thai skills on the criminals.
Investigators from Muang Udon Thani Police Station are currently pursuing the thieves to bring them to justice.
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