Hungarian Man Arrested in Pattaya for Breaking into Car & Stealing 1.5 Million Baht

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture of arrest.

 

A 57-year-old Hungarian man has been arrested in Pattaya on 8 March, after allegedly smashing a car window and stealing 1.5 million baht from a businessman in a shopping mall car park in Nonthaburi.

 

Police from Provincial Police Region 1 and Nonthaburi Provincial Police detained Mr. Altal Bara while he was sunbathing by a swimming pool at a hotel in Pattaya, Chonburi. He was arrested under a warrant issued by Nonthaburi Provincial Court on 6 March for theft and damage to property.

 

On 3 March at 12:30 Mr. Kittirat Kham-in, 38, a businessman, parked his Toyota sedan on the second floor of a shopping mall car park on Ngamwongwan Road in Nonthaburi. He had just withdrawn 1.5 million baht from a bank and planned to deposit it at another branch.

 

Due to long queues, he decided to leave the cash in a brown envelope inside his car and returned to the mall to complete other errands. When he came back, he discovered that the right rear window of his car had been smashed, and the money was gone. He immediately reported the theft to Lieutenant Chaiyong Uanmohong at Nonthaburi City Police Station.

 

Following the report, investigators from Provincial Police Region 1, Nonthaburi Police, and Nonthaburi City Police Station reviewed CCTV footage from the area. They identified the suspect as Mr. Altal Bara, who had arrived at the mall on a motorbike, broken into the car, stolen the cash, and fled.

 

Police traced him to a residence in Sai Mai, Bangkok, where he was staying with his Thai wife. He then changed his motorcycle’s licence plate and fled to Pattaya.

 

Authorities tracked him down to a hotel in Pattaya, where he was arrested and found with 187,850 baht in cash, a mobile phone, a Honda Wave motorbike, and a remote signal jammer.

 

A background check revealed that Mr. Altal first entered Thailand legally on 3 September 2019 via Suvarnabhumi Airport. He later departed on 1 December 2019 through the Mukdahan border checkpoint. Police suspect he later re-entered Thailand illegally through a natural border crossing.

 

The suspect has been handed over to Nonthaburi police for legal proceedings. Authorities continue to investigate his activities in Thailand.

 

-- 2025-03-09

 

 

[Woke to Sounds]

Another tattooed tough guy!

 

Probably needed a pot fix and didn't have the cash.

[gargamon]

So the idiot who lost the money just left it in an envelope on the seat? 1.5 MB? He deserved to lose it.

[rough diamond]

 Had he seen the money being withdrawn from the bank?

If not he very lucky to pick that window to smash.

As only just under 200,000Baht was recovered what happened to the rest of the 1,5M Baht?  Insurance job?

[henryford1958]

The thief must have seen the withdrawal. You wouldn't just smash any car window at random hoping to find 1.5 m

[KhunBENQ]

1.5 m in an "envelope"?

1.5 m makes a reasonable packet.

Won't fit in a usual 'glove" compartment.

[KhunBENQ]

30 minutes ago, rough diamond said:

Insurance job?

The unavoidable "insurance job". What kind of insurance is that?

[Tarteso]

32 minutes ago, rough diamond said:

 What happened to the rest of the 1,5M Baht? 

 Wife and Shopee 👍

[BangkokReady]

3 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

his Thai wife

 

Poor woman.

[KhunBENQ]

27 minutes ago, henryford1958 said:

The thief must have seen the withdrawal. You wouldn't just smash any car window at random hoping to find 1.5 m

This or simply seeing some packet visible. Lucky catch.

 

The nativity of that businessman is hard to believe. If in the car (which I would never do) then in the trunk or well hidden elsewhere.

[KhunBENQ]

7 minutes ago, Tarteso said:

 Wife and Shopee 👍

Multiple "wifes" and luxury shopping 😁 

Guess he found a better hiding place than the "businessman".

[phetphet]

The guy was carrying a signal jammer, so seems he was  preparing to commit crime. Isn't that what criminals use to prevent car remotes locking the doors when the driver leaves?

[mikebell]

25 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

 

Poor woman.

She's considerably richer now.

Why would the victim need 1.5 million in cash?

[KhunBENQ]

21 minutes ago, mikebell said:

Why would the victim need 1.5 million in cash?

Legit question.

"to deposit at another branch"?

There is feature named (electronic) transfer.

Maybe he is one of the "show me the money, is it still there" types 🤣

[JoePai]

1 hour ago, KhunBENQ said:

Legit question.

"to deposit at another branch"?

There is feature named (electronic) transfer.

Maybe he is one of the "show me the money, is it still there" types 🤣

Buy (say) a car?  Last car I bought I picked up 1.6m in cash and gave to the Dealer - easier than transferring/cheques etc for me

[johncat1]

Why withdraw money to pay into another account? Hasn't he heard of online banking?  I transfer money from one account to another online. It is so easy unless he is trying to hide one of his accounts from the bank.