Posing for a photo, tourist loses watch to cutest of thieves
THIS is the moment a tourist was caught out by two unlikely thieves at a Thai temple.
The cute young girls, both wearing brightly coloured traditional dress, can be seen posing for the snap with the holidaymaker outside Wat Phra That Doi Suthep in Chiang Mai, north Thailand.
However, a closer look at the photograph – posted to social media website Reddit on Sunday night – appears to show one of the girls unclasping the woman’s watch.
The victim, who has not been named, said she only noticed what had happened once she took a close look at her holiday photographs.
Her partner, who took the picture, said: “This solved the mystery of the missing watch.
Drunk
“The watch was not very valuable. In fact it was a cheap watch she bought so she could still tell the time without having to bring her phone everywhere on the trip.
“We weren’t mad they stole it. We were a bit drunk and those girls are absolute pros.”
The couple had been staying with Thai friends they met during a student exchange.
Thousands of Reddit users commented on the thread, with some sharing their pictures of the two girls from their trips.
Some claimed the girls were using a classic pickpocket technique of touching their target in several places “so she didn’t notice her watch being snatched”.
One said: “Notice how the thief is touching her hand in several places? It’s a pickpocket technique so the victim gets accustomed to being touched by the thief and then stops registering all of the touches.”
Last year Britons visited Thailand 320,000 times.
The country has become an increasingly popular destination with young backpackers and independent travellers.
The Association of British Travel Agents yesterday warned tourists to be wary of pickpockets.
Spokeswoman Daisy Parker said: “Unfortunately every year a small proportion of travellers and holidaymakers are victims of crime when they are overseas.
“Holidaymakers are advised to take their personal safety as seriously when they are abroad as when they are at home and follow simple safety tips to protect possessions.
“Holidaymakers should avoid openly displaying valuables such as mobile phones or digital cameras and keep items like wallets and bags close at all times.
“They are also advised to avoid carrying too much money or wearing excess jewellery when out and about.
“If available, travellers should make use of the safety deposit box in their accommodation for money, travel documents, passports, jewellery and other valuables.”
Foreign Office advice to British people travelling to the region is to “be on your guard against pickpockets and bag snatchers”.