PHUKET: A 37-year-old man has been arrested for stealing food and other essential household items from the baskets on motorbikes parked in front of convenience stores as he had no money to buy anything.

The man, named by police only as “Mr Woraphat”, was arrested at a house in Saphan Hin, on the outskirts of Phuket Town, yesterday (Aug 2), confirmed Maj Chatchai Chunoo of the Wichit Police.


The arrest came after a victim filed a complaint to police on July 27 about items being stolen, Maj Chatchai said.


Police checked CCTV footage available and saw the thief using a white Honda MSX without license plate to flee the scene. Officers tracked the motorbike to a house in Soi 5 Saphan Hin, in Moo 1, Wichit, where they arrested Mr Woraphat, Maj Chatchai explained.


Mr Woraphat confessed that he had conducted similar thefts some four times previously, saying he did not have any money for living and to support his family.


“If I stole fresh items like meats or vegetables for cooking, I would cook them for my family,” he said.


“I normally collect abandoned and discarded items and sell them to make a living,” he added.


Mr Woraphat was taken to Wichit Police Station and charged with committing theft by using a vehicle to flee, Maj Chatchai confirmed.


Maj Chatchai noted that Mr Woraphat had been previously arrested for involvement with drugs in 2019 and was released last year.


Man arrested for stealing food