Theft charge against Briton ‘justified’ but dropped to let him fly home

[from the home of CC]

known thief, bar for life..

[Ctkong]

8 hours ago, watcharacters said:

 

Since he clearly hadn't intended to  attempt to return the phone to its owner, he'd have been far better off to have never touched it.

 

I don't have good feelings towards thiefs no matter where they're from.

Thieves have flaws in their character. Opportunistic thieves shows a weakness in their integrity of right and wrong. Did he ever wonder how much despair the loss of a mobile would cause the owner ? Especially in an overseas country? Serves him right. 

[Ctkong]

4 hours ago, Ulic said:

He is a thief but a snatch and grab of a gold necklace in Pattaya gets a ladyboy/motorcycle driver a 500 baht fine and next day release, this poor sap spends 20,000 pounds. A hell of an expat tax. 

He was held to the high standard of the typical farang tourist who would never do such despicable thing as to keep somebody’s second hand mobile. Setting a bad example of “when you are in Rome,....”

[Ctkong]

4 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Just curious...what exactly is criminal theft under Thai law?

 

If I'm walking down the street, look down and find a 1000 baht bill laying on the ground, pick it up, and take it home... Can the police charge me with theft for finding money and not going somewhere to report the lost money???

 

I'm not defending what the guy is alleged to have done... Actually taking/thieving a phone from someone clearly is theft... But finding something that's been lost and not returning it, that seems a bit more of a gray area.

 

I guess, a phone is something that you're more likely/almost certainly going to be able to trace back to the original owner who lost it... But something else like a 1000 baht bill, it's going to be basically impossible to identify who may have lost the item and return it to them.  So then what?

 

 

Finders keepers? 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

2 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Whatever happened to "finders keepers, losers weepers..."?

 

[richard_smith237]

2 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

He didn't "take" the phone... He found the phone unattended, and didn't turn it in...

Not quite - He picked it up and took it with him and made no attempt to return it which is considered theft.

 

Quote

I go back to the 1000 baht note found on the street example I mentioned above... Say a CCTV camera on my soi ends up recording me picking up the bill off the street and going home with it?  What difference does that make?

The difference is you've been recorded by CCTV steeling 1000 baht. 

It's still considered theft even if you have found the item on public property.

 

Quote

Yes, I found it and picked it up off the street.... I would have no idea how it got there or who to return it to... So is that criminal theft... I don't think so....  

You think wrong. Imagine you found 1 Million baht in a bag and took it home - is that theft? 

You know you should turn the bag of 1 Million baht in to the Police. Theft is still theft, the difference in this case is Petty Theft vs Grand Theft... 

 

Quote

But as I noted above, a mobile phone presumably is a bit different in that it contains info inside that would likely allow the identification of the owner, and its return to that owner...  Still, it's not the same as if he directly stole or took the phone from its owner.

In the case of the stolen phone, depending on its value the charge could have been 'Grand Theft' (or the Thai equivalent). IF he stole the item directly (using violence, or threats of violence) from the owner then its Robbery

 

Most phones are locked. Although many have the Emergency function *(with ICE) but a lot of / most people don't use this or know to use it. 

The only way the 'Finder' could return a lost phone is if the person who has lost the phone dials it and the 'Finder' answers said phone (i.e. to arrange its return). 

 

Quote

To me at least, criminal theft is actually stealing something from someone -- as opposed to finding something unattended and failing to turn it in... I'm not defending what he did or saying it was right. Just saying, he didn't deserve 10 days in jail for it.

Thats either Robbery or theft (steeling from someone). 

Finding something unattended and failing to turn it in is not a crime if you ignore it and walk on, or turn it in to a Police Station or nearby shop. 

Finding something and taking it home is theft - it may not appear as 'morally' extreme, but it's still theft. 

And no, he definitely did not deserve any time in jail for a clumsy opportunistic crime.

 

Quote

Whatever happened to "finders keepers, losers weepers..."?

We're no longer 6 years old !

[transam]

Well at least the guy now knows he looks cool with a hair cut like Trans.....????

[NoshowJones]

7 hours ago, LazySlipper said:

Damn... Thai authorities should charge more backpackers... end result is cleaner looking falangs...

 

If you want cleaner looking farangs, then just tell them to wear a shirt, sweaty old buggers.

[dallen52]

And any charges against the Chinese who light fingered the go pro camera left on a bench  were never laid. 

 

I think there's a hidden message here somewhere?

 

What chance the Brit will get his 800,000 refunded?

 

[dallen52]

6 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Just curious...what exactly is criminal theft under Thai law?

 

If I'm walking down the street, look down and find a 1000 baht bill laying on the ground, pick it up, and take it home... Can the police charge me with theft for finding money and not going somewhere to report the lost money???

 

I'm not defending what the guy is alleged to have done... Actually taking/thieving a phone from someone clearly is theft... But finding something that's been lost and not returning it, that seems a bit more of a gray area.

 

I guess, a phone is something that you're more likely/almost certainly going to be able to trace back to the original owner who lost it... But something else like a 1000 baht bill, it's going to be basically impossible to identify who may have lost the item and return it to them.  So then what?

 

 

Unless you are an esteemed Chinese tourist.

Stealing a Go Pro camera. 

Then it's all just a misunderstanding.

And no charges laid.

[dunroaming]

14 hours ago, toast1 said:

Er wot?

He 'found' a phone in the airport, did not hand it in to Lost and Found, but took it back to his hotel?

If you believe that story, ladies and gentlemen, then you'll believe anything. 

If I found a phone I would hand it in at the information desk. Why would I take it back to my place?

 

 

Handing it in is pretty futile in Thailand.  It will just end up being pocketed.  T.I.T.

[Pique Dard]

if he has no intention of keeping the phone why not to ask at the airport where to bring any found articles of value such as an Iphone?

[sammieuk1]

I found the saddest  part of this story to be 20 large only buys 828,690 bt instead of 1,100,000????

[snowgard]

21 hours ago, Ulic said:

He is a thief but a snatch and grab of a gold necklace in Pattaya gets a ladyboy/motorcycle driver a 500 baht fine and next day release, this poor sap spends 20,000 pounds. A hell of an expat tax. 

This is complete nonsens!!! Why you tell this BS? Did you ever gone here to court and check what happen to robbers? No, for sure not!!! Otherwise you not tell this stupid lies here.

 

If someone is catched here for snatch and grab of a gold necklace, he/she will get a prison time not under 1-4 years. Please check the reality before you post nonsens.

[Burma Bill]

Quote:-

"Nobody spoke English. It was really intimidating" - well he was in a THAI cell!!!

[hansnl]

On 4/25/2019 at 9:23 AM, PerkinsCuthbert said:

No matter whether you consider that he intended or not to keep the phone - and the balance of probability, by his actions after picking it up, suggest he did - the 800k Baht fine is, in my opinion, a grossly disproportionate response to the theft; does anyone seriously think that such an action, Thai on Thai, would lead to ten days in detention and an 800k Baht fine?

Some might think this a clear case of discrimination; I couldn't possibly comment.

500 baht and a waiver, probably 

[JimmyJ]

23 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Just curious...what exactly is criminal theft under Thai law?

 

If I'm walking down the street, look down and find a 1000 baht bill laying on the ground, pick it up, and take it home... Can the police charge me with theft for finding money and not going somewhere to report the lost money???

 

I'm not defending what the guy is alleged to have done... Actually taking/thieving a phone from someone clearly is theft... But finding something that's been lost and not returning it, that seems a bit more of a gray area.

 

I guess, a phone is something that you're more likely/almost certainly going to be able to trace back to the original owner who lost it... But something else like a 1000 baht bill, it's going to be basically impossible to identify who may have lost the item and return it to them.  So then what?

 

 

In answer to your question, I've searched for the story of an older woman who found something like a $10 bill on the floor at a Detroit casino and was arrested for it.

She sued them and was awarded a lot, but I can't find the story.

 

Came across this instead:

https://metro.co.uk/2017/02/28/woman-who-found-20-on-the-floor-ended-up-with-a-criminal-record-for-pocketing-it-6477942/

[Vacuum]

On 4/25/2019 at 1:52 AM, rskdev said:

Lying Scum Bag!!! Those nasty dreadlocks probably smelled worse that the jail cell. Should be blacklisted.

He wasn't vaping...

[observer90210]

Not trying to act smart but the law in some European nations can punish for instance if you find money left for ex in an ATM machine and do not hand it over immediately to the bank (yes there are absent minded people who forget to take the cash on withdrawl from ATM's).

[wisperone]

Poor baby...commits a crime, lies, and complains that none of his cell mates in the foreign country speak English. He deserves a longer detention.