This is the dramatic moment two determined British teenagers sprinted after a moped-riding thief who snatched their handbag in Thailand.
Lucy Emma Crawford and her friend Milla Anne Tomkinson, both 19, were leisurely walking down a tranquil street in Chiang Mai. Suddenly, a man on a motorbike zoomed past them, snatching Lucy’s black shoulder bag in the process.
A shop’s security camera caught the startling event as the motorcyclist sped away. The two friends from Wythenshawe, Manchester, chased him in desperation, calling for assistance in the empty street.
The thief was spotted racing away through an intersection in the early hours of Monday, leaving the pair shaken and empty-handed.
Around 3:50 am local time, the two young women reported the incident at a nearby police station. Officers promptly reviewed the security footage and began their pursuit of the thief.
By later that morning, police had located 39-year-old Phanuwat Dechpan at a car repair shop in the Doi Saket district.
According to officers, he panicked and tried to escape as soon as they arrived, but was swiftly surrounded, handcuffed and taken into custody.
Detectives then escorted him back to his apartment, where they found the stolen items.
The haul included Lucy’s handbag, an iPhone 16, a power bank, a room key and a pink portable fan.
British teens Lucy Emma Crawford and Milla Anne Tomkinson were shocked when a man on a motorbike snatched Lucy’s bag in Thailand
The man sped away on his motorbike but the two brave tourists gave chase
Police later arrested Phanuwat Dechpan. The items were later recovered
Phanuwat was taken to the Chiang Mai City Police Station for questioning and faced further embarrassment when he was displayed in handcuffs before the media at a press conference.
He was then confronted by his courageous victims, who sat opposite him as he stared them down. Subsequently, the authorities returned Lucy’s belongings to her.
The robber was charged with theft using a vehicle and handed over to investigators for legal proceedings.
Lucy and Milla later identified him as the culprit and thanked Thai police for recovering the bag so quickly.
Police Major General Yutthana Kaenchan stated: ‘During the interrogation, the suspect admitted to committing the crime, attributing it to a brief lapse in judgment.’
‘He said he had just finished his contract with a government agency in Doi Saket District and had been employed at the car repair shop.
‘He was in debt, both for motorcycle instalments and rent, and committed the bag snatching and returned to his apartment. Before the tourist’s stolen property could be sold, the police arrived to arrest him.’
Bag-snatching is a well-known problem in Thailand, where thieves often use motorbikes to make a lightning-fast getaway.
Police in tourist hotspots, including Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Phuket, and Pattaya, have long warned visitors to be vigilant, particularly late at night or when walking on quieter streets.
The thief was arrested at a vehicle repair shop and put in handcuffs
Police invited Lucy and Milla to the press conference and humiliatingly force the thief to sit across them
The haul included Lucy’s handbag, an iPhone 16, a power bank, a room key and a pink portable fan
In recent months, there have been reports of a rise in motorbike muggings in Pattaya, with criminals targeting both locals and foreigners by riding past and ripping bags straight from their victims’ clutches.
In some cases, thieves have even used razor blades to slice bags open without victims noticing until it is too late.
The method is popular among offenders because the motorcycles allow them to weave through traffic, vanish into side streets and escape arrest within seconds.
Some suspects have been caught disguising themselves as motorbike taxi drivers to look less suspicious before striking.
