Foreign woman accused of stealing Nike trainers outside Phuket home

A foreign woman was accused of stealing Nike trainers left outside a home in Phuket after video of the incident circulated online on April 27. The footage, posted on the Phuket Times Facebook page, was timestamped at about 10.27am on April 26 in Khok Tanote, Karon subdistrict.

The video showed a woman taking the shoes from outside the house, placing them in her bag and walking away along the footpath. The footage was unclear, but the woman appeared to have short hair and was wearing a white tank top, shorts and flip-flops while carrying a brightly coloured bag.

Owner says shoes were left out to dry

The owner said the trainers had been washed and left outside the house to dry before they disappeared. The shoes were identified as Nike and valued at about 4,500 baht.

The owner added that the trainers had only been worn a few times. It was not confirmed whether a police report had been filed or whether legal action was being pursued.

Online reaction split as similar cases emerge

Reaction online was mixed after the clip spread. Some users condemned the alleged theft and called for stronger action over foreign-related crime, while others suggested the woman may have thought the shoes had been abandoned or were free to take.

Some commenters also said items of value should not be left unattended outside properties. In a similar case last week, two foreign men were seen taking a guitar left on a motorcycle on Na Tai Road in Phuket after the owner said he had left it unattended for about five minutes.

Another case in February involved a foreign woman seen taking a suitcase from the front of a shop in Phuket. The owner said the suitcase was at least 28 inches in size, and police have not provided updates on arrests or investigations in either case.

Source: https://thethaiger.com/news/phuket/foreign-woman-caught-on-cctv-in-phuket-shoe-theft