Two American backpackers were arrested yesterday for stealing a large decorative wooden elephant from outside Happy Elephant restaurant on Koh Samui.
The restaurant’s CCTV footage shows the tourists, later identified as Andrew Cosco, 22 and John Jefferson, 24, teaming up to lift the wooden elephant and escape in the early morning of June 5.
Restaurant owner Sasothon Somvung posted the footage on Facebook.
Sasothorn later found the duo and their friend staying at The Lodge Hotel in Bophut, which is literally 67 meters from Happy Elephant restaurant.
As if that’s not enough — Cosco forgot his Virginia driver’s license in the hotel room after checkout.
Their pair were seized on Koh Phangan with the wooden elephant in their rented truck.
Thairath reported that the pair confessed to the crime and claimed they only stole because they were drunk. After sobering up, they were going to return the elephant but were afraid to face charges.
Police charged the Americans for nighttime theft.
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