Police call for bike chain cutters to be deported
Police in Phuket will request that the Immigration Bureau revoke the permit to stay of foreigners caught cutting lock chains placed on illegally parked motorbikes,
Phuket City Police Chief Pol Col Pratuang Pholmana announced the move at a press conference held in front of Phuket City Police Station on Apr 30 where the campaign slogan ‘You cut, I catch’ was launched.
The press conference was also held to specifically highlight a Russian man arrested for cutting the police lock chain placed on a motorbike the Russian man had parked illegally on Phang Nga Rd in Phuket Town on Apr 26.
Present for the press conference was Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pol Maj Gen Sinlert Sukhum, along with Immigration officials Phuket Tourist police and other officers.
Following a video of the Russian man circulating widely on local social media channels, Pol Maj Gen Sinlert had ordered Phuket City Police Chief Pol Col Pratuang to take swift and urgent action to apprehend the man, named by police yesterday as Russian national German Sarkisov, 37, Pol Col Pratuang explained.
The video became popular as the man was filmed turning to the eyewitness and gesturing with his index finger to his lips in the manner of a “hush” sign before riding off on his bike. Criticism of the man’s behaviour centred on him being a person coming to stay in Phuket, but intentionally breaking the law with no fear of police action, he said.
The video was shared online on Apr 26, showing the incident occurring in a prohibited parking area in front of Kasikornbank on Phang Nga Rd, Pol Col Pratueng explained.
Following the order by Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pol Maj Gen Sinlert, a joint team of officers from Phuket Provincial Police and Phuket City Police Station gathered evidence and were issued a warrant for the Russian man’s arrest. The warrant was issued on Monday (Apr 29), he added.
He was tracked down and arrested when he pulled up on his motorbike in front of a house in Moo 5, Chalong, Pol Col Pratueng confirmed.
Sarkisov was taken to Phuket City Phuket Police and charged under section 59 of the Land Traffic Act for “damaging, destroying, depreciating or rendering useless a vehicle restraint device placed by an officer to prevent moving a vehicle”.
Sarkisov can communicate well in English and admitted that he was the person wanted in the arrest warrant, Pol Col Pratueng said.
“Sarkisov apparently told police that he was afraid to pay the parking fine as he did not have a driver’s licence, and feared the same fine he would face in Russia. He therefore went to a shop and bought cutters for about B500 to cut the chain off and then returned to his residence and was eventually arrested,” he explained.
Regarding the campaign slogan ‘You cut, I catch’, Pol Col Pratuang said, “I want to give this message to foreigners who think about doing something wrong.”
“In addition, Phuket City Police Station has had several incidents like this. There have been a total of four arrests, but it doesn’t happen often. This is because traffic police officers will patrol their areas of responsibility at all times,” he added.
However, Pol Col Pratuang noted that police from now on will submit a request to Phuket Immigration to revoke the permits to stay of foreigners caught breaking such laws.