PHUKET — Thai police are investigating a brazen daylight robbery in Phuket after dashcam footage showed two foreign suspects deliberately ramming a motorcycle to steal from an American victim, with investigators noting the suspects spoke clear English.
The incident occurred at 4:19 p.m. on September 18 in Layan Soi 7, Cherng Talay subdistrict, Thalang district, when a car intentionally rammed into the rear of a motorcycle ridden by a foreign man. The dramatic footage, shared by Phuket Times, captures the moment of impact during a rainstorm that sent the rider crashing to the rain-soaked road.
Two masked foreign men then emerged from the vehicle and threatened the motorcyclist with a knife before stealing his watch and fleeing the scene.
The viral video has sparked widespread criticism from netizens, particularly concerns that such criminal behavior by foreigners makes Phuket unsafe for residents and tourists.
Cherng Talay Police Station officers revealed that the victim is an American man in his 40s who was returning from Boat Avenue shopping center when the attack occurred. The American victim believes the suspects, who concealed their faces and spoke fluent English, deliberately targeted him to steal his luxury watch valued at over 2,300,000 baht ($72,000).
Later on the evening of September 18, police from Sakhu and Thalang stations discovered the blue Ford Everest used by the two foreign suspects abandoned in a rubber plantation. Forensic officers recovered fingerprints from the vehicle, while CCTV footage revealed a white car picked up both foreign suspects after they ditched the Ford.
The manhunt continues as authorities analyze the forensic evidence and track the getaway vehicle through Phuket’s surveillance network.
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