Two Transgender Women Arrested in Pattaya Over Alleged Theft of S$765,000 Diamond-Encrusted Patek Philippe Watch
Two transgender women, aged 30 and 24, have been arrested in Pattaya, Thailand, over the alleged theft of a luxury Patek Philippe watch worth approximately 20 million baht (S$765,000) from a Chinese tourist.
The incident reportedly involved the pair allegedly taking the tourist’s passport and expensive timepiece from his hotel room before demanding money in exchange for returning his belongings.
According to reports by The Thaiger and Pattaya Mail, the arrests took place at around 12.30am on Nov 8.
Chinese Tourist Reports Missing Passport and Luxury Watch
The tourist, identified only as Wu, reportedly approached local police on Nov 7 to report that his passport and valuable watch had been taken from his hotel room.
The missing timepiece was identified as a diamond-encrusted Patek Philippe, believed to be a Nautilus Reference 5719/10G-010.
Wu alleged that the two individuals demanded 20,000 baht (approximately S$765) in cash to return his belongings.
He reportedly agreed to their demand and handed over the money, hoping to recover both items.
However, according to his account, the pair returned his passport but allegedly left with the expensive watch.
Police Trace Watch and Arrest Two Suspects
Following the complaint, local police launched an investigation to establish what had happened to the missing valuables.
Their investigations eventually led officers to the two suspects, who were subsequently arrested.
During initial questioning, both individuals denied the allegations.
However, Pattaya Mail reported that they were reportedly unable to explain why the missing luxury watch was found in their room.
Police later recovered the timepiece and returned it to Wu.
Watch Worth More Than S$760,000
The recovered watch is believed to be a Patek Philippe Nautilus Reference 5719/10G-010, an extremely expensive luxury timepiece featuring an 18-carat white gold case encrusted with diamonds.
With an estimated value of 20 million baht, the watch alone was worth considerably more than many luxury cars and residential properties.
The two suspects remain at the centre of the police investigation, with both maintaining their denial of the allegations.
The case has drawn attention because of the extraordinary value of the missing timepiece and the alleged demand for money before the tourist could recover his passport.