Ladyboy gang caught on CCTV ‘stealing British tourist’s bag while he’s asleep
A ladyboy gang was caught on CCTV allegedly stealing a British tourist's bag while he was asleep at a fast-food restaurant in Thailand.
The transgender women surrounded Robert Henry Smith, 31, when they noticed him slumped on a chair at a McDonald's in 'Sin City' Pattaya, on June 22.
CCTV footage shows the ladyboys sitting beside the unconscious tourist from Doncaster as they appeared to sift through the belongings in his bag.
They looked around to check no one was watching before slipping 30,000 baht in cash into their purses and leaving.
The shocked Brit filed a report with police when he later woke up, only to find his holiday fund was missing.
Police Lieutenant Nattachaikorn Sangiamwiboon of Pattaya City Police Station said officers were tracking down the transgender suspects.
He said: 'The victim came to file a complaint at approximately 10:50 am.
'At this stage, investigators are working to identify and locate the suspects.
'He was travelling alone. The reason he was sleeping in the restaurant was not that he was drunk.
‘When he came to report the incident, he was not intoxicated either.
'To be honest, we see this type of behaviour quite often among tourists in Pattaya.
‘Many choose to spend the night in 24-hour fast-food restaurants or cafés instead of returning to their hotels.
‘They order food and then stay there overnight.'
Police said they were reviewing CCTV footage from the restaurant and surrounding area as they worked to identify and arrest the women.
The incident is the latest of Thai ladyboys targetting holidaymakers, who find themselves lured by the temptation of ubiquitous sexual experiences in the languid country.
Tourists are regularly attacked or caught up in crime, leading Pattaya to be dubbed 'Sin City'.
Embarrassed officials in the central government have launched tourism initiatives to attract families and rebrand Pattaya as a safe destination.
Authorities have also introduced safety measures, such as improved lighting and CCTV.
Despite some success in cleaning up the town's image, alcohol and sex remain its biggest draws, often leading to a high rate of crime and accidents.
