Police are urgently searching for two motorcycle thieves who snatched a purse from a Japanese tourist visiting Patong Beach during the New Year 2026 holiday.
On 3 January 2026 in Phuket province, reporters learned that at 22:22 on the previous day (2 Jan 26), Police Lieutenant Wisanu Chumi, Deputy Inspector (Investigation) of Patong Police Station in Phuket, received a report of a robbery targeting a Japanese tourist near a hotel on Taweewong Road, Patong Subdistrict, Kathu District.
During the investigation, Mr. Sato Yuki, the Japanese tourist, stated that he was visiting Patong Beach during the New Year festival of 2026. He was holding his purse in his right hand when two men on a black motorcycle suddenly snatched the purse. The purse contained an iPhone 17 valued at 30,000 baht, an INSTA 360 camera worth 6,000 baht, and BOSE headphones valued at 16,000 baht, totaling 52,000 baht in stolen property. The suspects then fled on the motorcycle.
After receiving the report, Patong police officers inspected the scene, reviewed CCTV footage, and conducted further interviews with the victim to gather evidence for pursuing the suspects.