1-8-2024 (BANGKOK) A 26-year-old Belgian man has been apprehended by Thai authorities on suspicion of orchestrating a string of hotel room burglaries targeting foreign tourists. The arrest, which took place in the southern province of Songkhla, has unveiled a trail of alleged thefts spanning multiple popular tourist destinations in the country.
On Thursday, a joint task force comprising immigration officers, local police, and tourist police conducted a raid on a hotel room in Songkhla’s main city, resulting in the arrest of the Belgian national. Pol Col Chinnawut Tangwonglert, chief of the Songkhla immigration office, confirmed the operation’s success, which came in response to complaints lodged by three Malaysian tourists who had fallen victim to theft while staying at a hotel in downtown Hat Yai.
During the raid, authorities uncovered a substantial cache of allegedly stolen items. The haul included 52,000 baht in cash, five mobile phones, two watches, two Malaysian credit cards, and various other valuables. The total worth of the recovered items is estimated to be around 200,000 baht (approximately £4,500).
The suspect, identified as Abdelali Chadlaoui, initially protested his innocence upon arrest, claiming he was merely a tourist visiting the province. However, his emotional plea, punctuated by tears, failed to convince the authorities. The arresting team had been tipped off by staff at the hotel where Chadlaoui was staying, who reported that the guest had claimed to have lost his passport and was unable to communicate in Thai.
Further investigation revealed that Chadlaoui had been staying at the same hotel as the Malaysian tourists at the time of the reported thefts. The victims later confirmed that the items recovered by the police were indeed their stolen possessions.
The case took on broader implications as authorities discovered that Chadlaoui was also a suspect in similar hotel room burglaries in the popular tourist provinces of Krabi and Phuket. This revelation has prompted police to reach out to other tourists who have reported thefts, in an effort to gather additional evidence and potentially press further charges.
Adding to his legal woes, it was discovered that Chadlaoui had overstayed his visa by 63 days. He has been initially charged with this immigration offence, while investigators continue to build a case for theft charges.
