PATTAYA, THAILAND – A shop owner in Pattaya has reported that a woman used a nighttime rainstorm as a pretext to enter her store and steal a wallet containing cash, documents, and bank cards.
Shop owner says offer of shelter led to theft
The incident occurred in the early hours of 17 November 2025 at around 4:00 a.m., according to investigating authorities. The victim, 44-year-old shop owner Saengduan Champanerd, filed a complaint the same night at Pattaya City Police Station, providing a statement in tears to Lieutenant Natthachai Sengiamwibul, deputy investigation chief.
“I had no idea she was planning something bad,”
said Saengduan Champanerd, shop owner.
“She seemed harmless and just wanted brief shelter from the rain. Before I knew it, she was gone with everything – money, IDs, everything.”
said Saengduan Champanerd, shop owner.
According to her account, the suspected thief, described as a Thai woman estimated to be between 40 and 50 years old, entered the small shop carrying an umbrella and a bowl of Khanom Chin (fermented rice noodles). She asked for refuge from the heavy rain, and the owner allowed her to stay out of compassion.
During this time, Saengduan placed her own wallet on a table near the entrance, a move that soon proved costly. The visitor ordered a bottle of water and waited. CCTV footage reportedly shows the woman seizing the wallet in an unobserved moment and immediately leaving the premises.
Cash, documents, and cards stolen as police seek public help
The stolen wallet contained 14,000 baht in cash, 100 euros, and an unspecified amount in UAE dirham, along with identity documents belonging to the owner, her mother, and her two sons. It also held bank cards from Krungthai Bank and Siam Commercial Bank, as well as insurance cards.
Security footage shows the suspect wearing a grey short-sleeved shirt, a black denim skirt, and white flip-flops. Investigators say the video provides clear images that could help identify her.
Police have launched a formal theft investigation and are appealing to the public for information. Anyone with relevant details is urged to contact the Pattaya City Police Station directly. Officers emphasize the importance of the CCTV evidence as they work to quickly locate the suspect, bring her before the courts, and recover the stolen property where possible.
The case has caused unease among local shop owners in Pattaya, who are now being urged to exercise greater vigilance, particularly during late hours and under cover of bad weather, in the hope of preventing similar incidents.