Chinese thieves raiding Thailand duty free shops and fleeing on flights

A spate of thefts by passengers from China who help themselves at duty-free stores in Phuket International Airport before making airborne getaways has prompted debate about security.

The issue of the brazen thieves was raised at a meeting between airport authorities, shop owners and Chinese airlines and tour operators on Tuesday.

Shoplifters sometimes escape punishment after making it aboard their flights because of a reluctance by pilots to delay take-off - and an apparent reluctance by security staff to press the issue.

In the most recent incident, a thief made off with cosmetics from the airport's King Power duty free store on October 16. The thief was spotted on security cameras dashing for a flight.

Airport security officers were at the plane's door within two minutes of the theft being detected, the meeting was told. But instead of allowing the security officials to board the aircraft, the captain ordered cabin staff to retrieve the cosmetics and return them, and left it at that. The plane and thief then took off for China.

The captain of an earlier China-bound flight allowed pursuing security officers to board the plane to retrieve costly stolen cosmetics but refused to hold the flight to allow for the thief's arrest.

The names of the Chinese airlines involved were not disclosed.