Police in Phuket are searching for a man who stole more than 600,000 baht in cash from a currency exchange shop inside a major shopping mall in Wichit, Mueang Phuket. The break-in happened during the night of 19 July 2026, after the mall had closed.
CCTV footage circulated online initially described the suspect as a foreigner. However, Wichit police chief Pol Col Somsak Thongklieng said officers have not confirmed the man's nationality and are considering whether he deliberately disguised himself to resemble a foreigner.
The 67-year-old owner and victim reported the crime to investigators on 20 July.
Suspect opened the safe quickly
Footage from inside the shop shows a man walking directly to the safe, entering its code quickly and removing foreign currency before leaving. The theft took only a short time, according to the footage.
The suspect was wearing a dark blue baseball cap, a black long-sleeved jacket with white stripes, black shorts, black-framed glasses and rubber gloves. He also appeared to have, what is now believed to be possibly a false moustache and beard.
The speed with which the safe was opened has prompted questions over how the offender knew the access code. Police said only a small number of people were aware of that information.
Pol Col Somsak has instructed the deputy superintendent for investigations and the investigation team to examine evidence in detail. Officers are reviewing CCTV footage from both inside and outside the shopping mall and will question partners in the currency exchange business, particularly over knowledge of the safe code.
Police believe the available evidence will allow them to identify and arrest the suspect soon.
Pictures courtesy of SiamRath
No confirmation of foreign suspect
The social-media post accompanying the CCTV images claimed that a foreign thief had taken 600,000 baht on 19 July 2026. Police have urged caution over that characterisation, saying the offender may have adopted an appearance intended to mislead authorities.
The investigation remains focused on identifying the man captured on camera and establishing how he gained access to the safe.
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22 July 2026
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