Tourist, 18, facing five years in prison for 'stealing watch from airport security tray' as cops launch blistering attack on his 'whinging mother'

This is the moment a teenage tourist was arrested at a Thai airport for allegedly stealing another passenger's watch from a security tray - with cops today launching a blistering attack on his 'whinging mother'.

Loukas Rainger, 18, from Rainger, New Zealand, is said to have been seen on CCTV 'clearly intending to steal' the Swatch timepiece while carry-on bags were being checked at the Surat Thani International Airport in southern Thailand on July 3.

The item had been left in the tray around 20 minutes earlier by the alleged victim, who forgot it before boarding her flight. She later alerted officers, and cameras allegedly caught Loukas picking up the item before his flight to Bangkok.

He is seen in the video being arrested at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport on July 16, where officials prevented him from boarding a flight home.

Loukas was bundled in handcuffs into a police car and driven 650km back to the south, where the alleged crime took place.

He has since been remanded in custody and is facing up to five years in prison, as the alleged offence is compounded by happening at an airport.

Police said that Loukas's mother ‘should be ashamed' as they today launched a scathing attack on her for ‘whinging about the police instead of looking in the mirror'.

Loukas' worried mother, Natasha Rainger, said: ‘My son spent 12 hours handcuffed to a chair while being taken on a train from Bangkok back down to Surat Thani, where he was taken to a police station and only then interviewed.

‘I'm honestly at the point where I would give my life to get him out of there. That watch... he told me it was on the airport tray with his belongings... so he just picked it up too.

‘He didn't maliciously steal it or intend to steal someone's belongings. He didn't think. He's inexperienced and young.

‘He'd been on a long boat trip just before, and had been really sick. He should have left it or handed it in, but that doesn't deserve years in a Thai prison.'

Natasha said that she had contacted the New Zealand embassy for consular assistance and sought legal advice in her home country.

Thai lawyer Werabhat Hemthansarp said he was seeking bail for Rainger on July 21 after the teenager wrote a letter of apology and offered 35,000 baht (around US$1,000) in compensation to the victim.

The alleged victim's watch, valued at around 80 USD on eBay, was also returned to her.

Werabhat said: ‘The charge is more serious than ordinary theft because the incident occurred at an airport.

‘We are hoping the judge will grant him bail once the application has been processed, which can take around 24 hours. With compensation paid to the victim, it should improve his chances.'

Rainger had recently finished school and had spent the previous month travelling around Thailand with his friend. He had planned to return home to begin an apprenticeship as an electrician before becoming involved in the case.

Rainger had also been documenting his trip on Instagram, with his most recent post uploaded on the day of his arrest.

Speaking today, the officer handling the case, Lieutenant Pongsathorn Chuangsanthia, said: ‘From what I observed in the CCTV footage, there was intent to steal.

‘The suspect was travelling with one male friend. There were two of them in total. The incident occurred at 8.58 am, according to the CCTV footage.

‘The victim, a Thai woman, reported the incident on the same day, although she had already travelled to Bangkok on a different flight before the case was forwarded to us.

‘The suspect had already been travelling in Thailand before arriving in Surat Thani. I believe he had been to Koh Samui.

‘He has been in custody since Monday. As far as I know, the court denied him bail. Whether anything has changed since then is no longer my responsibility.'

Police and airport authorities did not permit the release of the footage, but Pongsathorn described what it showed.

He said: ‘If he had confessed, then perhaps everything could be disclosed. But because he is denying the allegation, the case still has to be contested in court, so I cannot release the footage.

‘Imagine the airport security screening area. The victim placed her belongings in a plastic tray before going through the X-ray machine.

‘She later collected her belongings but accidentally left her watch behind in one of the trays before walking to the departure gate.

‘About 20 minutes later, at around 8.58 am, the suspect arrived at the X-ray checkpoint.

'He picked up one of the circulating trays and found the watch inside.

‘He picked it up and examined it before placing it back in the tray and putting his own belongings into the same tray.

‘After passing through the X-ray machine, he collected his belongings, got dressed and then took the watch with him.

‘He never asked whether the watch belonged to someone else. He never reported finding it. From what I saw, it was clear he knew it was not his.

‘There were officers everywhere at the checkpoint. If this had been an honest mistake, he could simply have told them, but he did not do that.

‘After taking the watch, he never contacted the police or anyone else to return it.'

Addressing the suspect's explanation, Pongsathorn said: ‘His mother has told New Zealand media that he had no intention to steal it and believed the watch was his.

‘She was not there, so she does not know the details. I explained everything to the suspect through an interpreter.

‘I showed him the evidence and explained it in even greater detail than I have explained to you. His lawyer was also present and heard everything.'

Regarding the suspect's response during questioning, Pongsathorn said: ‘He denied the allegation during questioning. Whether he has changed his position since being sent to prison, I do not know.

‘Ordinary theft carries a maximum penalty of three years' imprisonment.

‘However, because this theft occurred at an airport, it is considered an aggravated offence carrying a maximum penalty of five years.'

When asked whether a settlement with the victim would end the case, he said: ‘I do not believe reaching an agreement would make the offence disappear because the crime had already been completed.

‘I arrested him and proceeded with legal action. Whether they later reach an agreement is another matter, but it does not erase the offence.'

The head of the arrest team, Acting Police Major Ingkwat Kriangsinkulyot of Immigration Division 2, added: ‘This was a theft case at an airport, which carries a heavier penalty than ordinary theft.

‘We arrested the suspect at Suvarnabhumi International Airport while he was attempting to leave the country. The arrest was carried out under a court warrant. The suspect was later transferred by the Railway Police.

‘When we arrested him, we did not handcuff him. We even gave him a cake to eat because he was hungry, however, during the transfer he had to be restrained in accordance with procedure.

‘Airport theft is considered a serious offence because it carries a heavier penalty, so it is not unusual for officers transporting a suspect to use handcuffs.

‘He cooperated throughout the arrest. It took about an hour to complete the arrest record.

‘We allowed him to use his mobile phone during his detention and ensured all of his legal rights were respected. The airport CCTV also recorded everything.

‘He was arrested under a court warrant. During the transfer, appropriate security measures had to be followed.

‘Instead of complaining, his mother should ask herself why her son stole from people in Thailand.

‘He stole a watch at the airport. If we travelled abroad, would we dare to do something like that?

‘Foreign suspects are often clever. They deny the allegations, complain, blame others, and claim they were treated unfairly, but they forget what they themselves did. Law-abiding people do not end up being arrested.

‘If he picked it up by mistake, why didn't he return it? He claimed it was a mistake and then attempted to leave the country. The evidence is clear.

‘The more they contest the charges, the more complicated the case becomes.

‘I arrested him shortly after 8pm while he was alone in the immigration departure area at Suvarnabhumi Airport as he was attempting to leave Thailand.

‘I arrested him under the warrant, so I did not personally review the CCTV footage. The inquiry officer has that evidence.

‘If the victim's watch had not been recovered, she would simply have lost it.

‘People focus on the suspect's complaints, but what about the victim?

‘If it were my own child who stole from someone else, I would not complain about how the police treated them. I would be ashamed.

‘If they want to file complaints against us, they are free to do so. We will deal with them.'