BANGKOK — Tourist police arrested a 37-year-old Zimbabwe national who allegedly used romance scams to defraud multiple Thai women in Phuket before fleeing to the capital, authorities said Friday.
Mr. Valentine, who worked as an online English tutor, was apprehended at an apartment in Bangkok’s Lat Phrao district on August 21 as he was preparing to flee the country. He had been living illegally in Thailand for 1,339 days beyond his visa expiration.
The suspect was wanted on an arrest warrant issued by Phuket Provincial Court following complaints filed by several Thai women at Kathu Police Station in Phuket province.
The victims told investigators that the Zimbabwe English teacher had deceived them into romantic relationships, building trust and credibility before stealing their belongings and disappearing.
“He would establish romantic relationships with women to gain their trust, then steal their valuables when the opportunity arose,” a police source said. “This was his repeated pattern of behavior.”
The stolen items typically included mobile phones, laptops, cash, and other valuables, according to police reports. The suspect targeted women who had hired him for English language instruction. Following the thefts, he would disappear from Phuket, leaving his victims to discover both their missing possessions and his deception.
After determining that Zimbabwe suspect had fled to Bangkok, Phuket police coordinated with the Tourist Police Bureau to track down and arrest the suspect. The investigation led officers to the Lat Phrao apartment where he was staying illegally.
During the arrest, authorities discovered he had overstayed his visa by more than three and a half years. Valentine admitted to being the person named in the arrest warrant and acknowledged having relationships with Thai women. However, he denied committing fraud or deception.
“The suspect confirmed his identity and said he had relationships with Thai women, but claimed he did not deceive them,” an investigating officer said.
Police have charged Valentine with theft and immigration violations. He was later transferred to Kathu Police Station in Phuket for prosecution.
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