Thief caught using forgotten ATM card to buy cigarettes for resale

[webfact]

 

A man with a history of theft was arrested by Metropolitan Police Division 1 for stealing an ATM card and using it to buy cigarettes for resale. The 46-year-old suspect was apprehended following a warrant issued by the Criminal Court for theft charges.

 

The incident unfolded when a victim reported leaving their debit card at an ATM inside a shopping mall in the Pratunam area. Subsequently, the victim received multiple notifications on their phone regarding transactions made at another shopping mall, amounting to over 10,000 baht (US$270). This prompted the victim to report the incident to the police.

 

The suspect, identified as Prapat, was taken into custody at a bus stop in front of a shopping mall in the Rangsit area in Pathum Thani province. It was revealed that he had a previous arrest in 2016 for theft and had evaded the authorities. He was also arrested in 2020 for violating the Emergency Decree.

 

During questioning, the suspect admitted to targeting ATMs in tourist-heavy areas like Khao San Road, Pratunam, and CentralWorld to find forgotten debit cards. He confessed to using these cards to purchase cigarettes for resale, a scheme he executed at least 10 times, earning around 10,000 baht on each occasion.

 

Following his arrest, police searched his residence and found over 50 packs of cigarettes intended for sale. Authorities urge the public that if they suspect their debit card has been stolen, to immediately notify the bank to block the card and report any unauthorized transactions to take legal action against the thief, even if it's someone they know.

 

Picture courtesy: Matichon

 

-- 2024-05-13

 

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[flyingtlger]

7 minutes ago, webfact said:

A man with a history of theft was arrested by Metropolitan Police Division 1 for stealing an ATM card and using it to buy cigarettes for resale

Not the sharpest tool in the shed.....

[brianthainess]

Sorry I not that Tech savvy, but how can you use someone else's ATM card to buy stuff without a pin number ?

[Liverpool Lou]

21 hours ago, brianthainess said:

Sorry I not that Tech savvy, but how can you use someone else's ATM card to buy stuff without a pin number ?

PINs are not always needed to be entered, depending on the value of the purchase.  You do know that some people still write their PIN on the card in case they forget it?   If he makes a habit of collecting them, as reported, he could get lucky.