American arrested for hotel safe theft

American arrested for hotel safe theft

An American was arrested Wednesday for allegedly breaking into safes at a popular Koh Samui hotel and stealing money and valuables worth more than two million baht.

Pol Lt Gen Panu Kerdlappol, immigration bureau chief, said said police arrested Harris Jay Vertlieb, 53, while he was walking in front of a spa in Sukhumvit Soi 13 in Bangkok’s Watthana district .   

Mr Vertlieb was accused of using sleeping medicine-laced drinks to drug a security guard and a hotel receptionist at Seascape Beach Resort on Koh Samui, Surat Thani province, at  2am on Monday. 

The suspect allegedly pried open 53 safes used by the hotel to keep guests’ valuables, and also stole 60,000 baht in cash from the cashier’s counter.

He then fled to Bangkok with more than two million baht worth of cash and goods, police said.

Footage from the hotel’s security camera clearly showed the suspect carrying out the theft and hotel staff had confirmed his identity, Pol Lt Gen Panu said. 

Mr Vertlieb denied the theft charge.


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