CHON BURI: A Norwegian tourist has confessed to making up a story about being robbed of cash and valuables worth 30,000 baht by two teenagers in Pattaya to get an insurance claim.
Johansen Anton, 29, confessed following an intense police interrogation on Thursday, said Pol Col Apichai Krobphet, chief of Pattaya police during a media briefing.
A police search of his hotel room found all of the items he claimed had been stolen. The items, worth 30,000 baht in total, were a mobile phone, a wireless eyephone, Ray-ban sunglasses, and 3,300 baht cash.
Earlier, Mr Anton had filed a complaint with Pattaya police that two Thai teenagers on a motorcycle had snatched his bag containing the items and cash while he was walking at Phra Tamnak Hill in South Pattaya on Nov 29.
Police began the investigation. They examined closed-circuit television cameras and interrogated people living in the area. However, none of the findings pointed to the robbery as claimed by the tourist.
Mr Anton, who accompanied the officers to the scene of the robbery on Nov 29, walked away from the area. He was later called for further questioning on Nov 30.
During the questioning, he confessed he had made up the story as a copy of a police complaint report was required to file an insurance claim, said Pol Col Apichai.
The man was charged with making a false police report and held in police custody for legal action.
Johansen Anton, 29, a Norwegian national, is interrogated by Pattaya police chief Pol Col Apichai Krobphet, before admitting to making a false police report about a robbery. (Photo by Trinai Jansrichol)