PATTAYA, THAILAND – Police investigated two near-identical street scams that targeted foreign tourists with a so-called cash-check trick within just a few hours.
Two incidents in quick succession under investigation
The Pattaya City police confirmed they had received two similar complaints between Wednesday evening and the early hours of Thursday. The thefts took place at different locations but in close proximity to each other.
Because the reported method and the description of the alleged perpetrators were said to match, officers treated the cases as potentially linked. Investigators aimed to identify the suspects and trace their movements.
First case: Chinese couple targeted on Phet Trakul Road
At around 1:00 a.m., a 21‑year‑old Chinese woman reported a theft at Pattaya City police station, accompanied by her boyfriend. The incident was said to have occurred earlier that night on Phet Trakul Road in Nong Prue, Bang Lamung District, Chonburi Province.
According to her account, the couple had been walking near the “99 Show bar” at about 9:12 p.m. when two foreign men approached them. The victims did not know the men’s names; the woman told police the suspects appeared to be Muslim.
The method: friendly chat and “money inspection” as distraction
The men allegedly steered the conversation towards money and asked to see Chinese banknotes, claiming they were interested in the currency. One of the suspects reportedly offered his own wallet as a form of “collateral”, which made the situation seem credible to the tourists.
The woman then handed over her wallet for inspection, and the suspects briefly handled it before returning it. Immediately afterwards, they left the area quickly without further interaction.
Stolen items: yuan, baht and a gold ring disappear unnoticed
At first, the couple noticed nothing unusual, but the woman soon checked her belongings. She then discovered that several items were missing from her wallet.
According to the complaint, 1,000 yuan and 5,000 baht in cash were taken, along with a gold ring weighing 2.5 grams. The total loss amounted to several tens of thousands of baht.
Second case: Indian tourists hit about two kilometres away
Later the same night, a second incident was reported involving two Indian tourists. At around 11:00 p.m., they were allegedly robbed using a very similar tactic.
Police stated that the scene of this second theft was about two kilometres from the first location. Here too, the suspects reportedly approached the victims, drew them into conversation and used a distraction involving money before fleeing unnoticed.
The short distance between the crime scenes strengthened investigators’ suspicions that the cases were connected. Officers considered the striking similarities in both the approach and the timing.
Ongoing investigation: video footage and witness statements reviewed
Police said the suspects in both cases were believed to share similar physical characteristics and to have used an almost identical method. Detailed descriptions of the alleged perpetrators had not yet been made public.
Evidence from both areas was being collected, including statements from the victims and potential witnesses. Investigators were also reviewing footage from cameras in the vicinity.
As of the latest information, there had been no arrests, and the investigation was continuing. Authorities were working to identify the suspects and determine whether further tourists had been targeted by the same street scam.