Bank Heist: Colombian Gang Arrested In Krabi

[earthpig]

c'mon!

how does a ragtag group of foreigners have the inside knowledge to have pulled off this caper? and why is half a million cash not being transported in an armoured car? and how did the boys in brown get the handphone numbers to track?

and oh yea, how is it they catch three members of the gang with nearly no money but not the one guy carrying all the cash? i mean how often does a gang of four thieves, after commiting a successful heist, entrust all the take to just one of their members? normally you'd think they would split the take and take off in four directions.

any single one of these things is possible. but put them all together, and it must be concluded that we are dealing with the higly improbable. the reported facts are either twisted, or somebody on high with an agenda commanded: "Round up the usual farangs."

[kennalder]

WOW , WHAT IS SOMEONE DOING DRIVING AROUND IN BANGKOK , NANA AREA WITH 17 MILLION BAHT , AND WHY DID HE ONLY TAKE 5 MILLION INTO THE BANK TO DEPOSIT , WHY NOT DEPOSIT IT ALL WHILE HE IS THERE , SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING WAS SET UP HERE , BUT WHILE THEY CAN THROUGH THE BLAME ON ANOTHER FARANG THEY WILL

And why are you SHOUTING?

[George4]

c'mon!

how does a ragtag group of foreigners have the inside knowledge to have pulled off this caper? and why is half a million cash not being transported in an armoured car? and how did the boys in brown get the handphone numbers to track?

and oh yea, how is it they catch three members of the gang with nearly no money but not the one guy carrying all the cash? i mean how often does a gang of four thieves, after commiting a successful heist, entrust all the take to just one of their members? normally you'd think they would split the take and take off in four directions.

any single one of these things is possible. but put them all together, and it must be concluded that we are dealing with the higly improbable. the reported facts are either twisted, or somebody on high with an agenda commanded: "Round up the usual farangs."

I suppose if these guys were a dodgy lot back home the Columbian authorities would make the Thai Authorities aware they were heading their way. Wasn't that long ago someone was arrested for trying to take drugs out of the Country and the Thai police were told by the Aussie cops they were known small time dealers in their home country.

Massive amounts of cash changes hands in commercial banks and in certain money exchanges every day.......what stands out is they said it was company funds that had ben picked up from an exhange........reading through the lines those funds came from outside Thailand and would arrive hear in US dollars or pounds. With a large amount like that the differnece between money exchanges and bank rates can be massive......I would imagine that's why he was carrying it

If they had been watching them, getting their mobile numbers is a piece of cake. I believe all they need to do nowadays is tell the telephone company is your exact location while you are on a call and they can give them the number.

As far as splitting the money ways and off you go..........These aren't your average East End boys pulling a job for themselves. These are Columbians who came here on false passports. I doubt if this is their first time in Asia and I doubt the money would be spent on women and fast cars.

At a guess I'd say their friend has gone off to buy some talcum powder and arrange it's transport back to the USA or wherever, leaving the rest of the guys with expense money to get by until the next caper.

I could of course be totaly wrong but it seems a bit more logical than the masses of know it all Farang saying "The police stole the money"!!!!

[jboras]

Somethng smells! How did these guys know that so much money was in the vehicle?

Sounds like they are all up to something including the victim. What was he doing with so much cash? Was it the money he took from these guys for a "drug deal"?

Sounds like a deal gone bad to me?

Oh and the cops only rcovered 200 thousand! What a laugh!!!! I'll bet they know where the money is!!!!

Edited June 10, 2010 by jboras

[Colabamumbai]

This is Thailand.

[stopnow]

There appears to be a relentless supply of American thugs entering Thailand and thinking they can get away with anything.

This ain't the wild west and the Doc Holiday type characters that come here and give the rest of us foreigners (especially those good people from Europe) a bad name need to be punished severely to deter these hoodlums from even thinking about coming here and acting out a scene from the O.K. Corral.

Thailand it is, Tombstone it's not.

[webfact]

UPDATE

Three freed in heist case

By The Nation

KRABI: -- An American national and two Colombians nabbed on Wednesday in Krabi were not involved with the Bt12 million cash theft from Bangkok's Sukhumvit area last week, deputy city police chief Pol MajGeneral Sumet Reungsawat said yesterday. The three men are now facing charges relating to passports Sumet said police have the name of one of the real culprits and would get an arrest warrant soon.

Another suspect has reportedly fled Thailand after his first attempt to cross into Malaysia failed because an unlicensed taxi driver refused to give him a ride due to lack of a passport, he said.

An informed source reported one of the real culprits was identified as Colombian national Omar Lotniquez, who was previously wanted for an expired passport by Hua Mark police.

After the original three foreigners were arrested along with Bt300,000 cash, Central Investigation Bureau Deputy Commissioner Pol MajGeneral Panya Mamen led a search Wednesday night to the suspects' rented hotel rooms in Bangkok and found documents allegedly linking them to criminal activities.

-- The Nation 2010-06-11

[webfact]

Arrested Foreigners Cleared of Bt12-million Heist

Police have confirmed that three foreigners arrested in Krabi province yesterday for being part of an international crime ring were not involved in the recent 12 million-baht heist while witnesses have said one of the actual thieves has fled the Kingdom.

Police are investigating ties between three arrested foreigners and the theft of 12 million-baht cash from a pick-up truck parked at a Krung Thai Bank parking lot in Bangkok.

Fingers prints from the two Colombians and one US citizen did not match those found at the scene but authorities believe they are part of the same syndicate.

A taxi-driver witness has informed police that one of the likely thieves, named Antonio Raul Gomez, hired him for a ride across the Thai border in Songkhla province. The suspect was carrying a large travel bag and had donned a disguise that included a fake mole.

Police are seeking an arrest warrant for Antonio, who they believe was transporting the stolen cash out of Thailand.

Deputy commissioner of the Immigration Police Bureau, Police Major General Punsak Kasemsun, disclosed that finger prints taken from the arrested men did not match those found at the crime scene. Police believe, however, that the three are tied to a Colombian crime ring.

The ring of foreign thieves was recently uncovered after police found Thai citizens aiding them in pointing out targets and escape routes.

The three suspects were arrested by police yesterday at their hotel in Krabi province. Evidence has pointed out that all three were residing in Thailand as part of an extensive crime ring.

All of the apprehended were found without passports and have refused to disclose their identities or give any statement.

-- Tan Network 2010-06-11

[hhiser]

Set up!

[slapout]

There appears to be a relentless supply of American thugs entering Thailand and thinking they can get away with anything.

This ain't the wild west and the Doc Holiday type characters that come here and give the rest of us foreigners (especially those good people from Europe) a bad name need to be punished severely to deter these hoodlums from even thinking about coming here and acting out a scene from the O.K. Corral.

Thailand it is, Tombstone it's not.

Now old Doc was not that bad a person, gambler, womanizer, bad health (tb), drinker, ok. He would probably fit right in with many farang who settle in Thailand. The weather would not be too good for him and his health issues, but his presence may raised the social bar somewhat in respect to the Europeans you mention. At least he had a needed profession to fall back on during a bad run of cards (dentistry)

[krystian]

WELCOME TO AMAZING THAILAND!!

[animatic]

"a relentless supply of American thugs"

There are so few yanks here, I rarely meet another one.

Unless you are meaning North and South America completely,

Which includes Columbia, then you are far exagerating this relentless supply.

There is a report of ONE American included in this robbery,

and now NOT included in this robbery, by the Thai police...

Just more Amercan bashing, since there is a MUCH higher percentage

of Euro based nutjobs per capita than from USA. Simple reason why.

There are so many MORE people from Europe.

Why can't people separate the actions of a government from

the actions and personalities of the many and varied people

that come from that country? And give each individual,

benefit of the doubt, rather than an automatic mark of Caine

simply for place of origin.

[dumball]

When are people going to get the amount being carried correct 12mil+8mil+5mil , when I attended school many years ago , that would add up to 25mil , after the initial 5mil was removed to deposit at the bank , 12mil+8mil = 20mil . Just shows how well many posters read a report/comment before rushing to let ' Their fingers do the walking ' , confusion reigneth in the muttering minds of many .

"Lost in a dream , was I "

[Colabamumbai]

Arrested Foreigners Cleared of Bt12-million Heist

Police have confirmed that three foreigners arrested in Krabi province yesterday for being part of an international crime ring were not involved in the recent 12 million-baht heist while witnesses have said one of the actual thieves has fled the Kingdom.

Police are investigating ties between three arrested foreigners and the theft of 12 million-baht cash from a pick-up truck parked at a Krung Thai Bank parking lot in Bangkok.

Fingers prints from the two Colombians and one US citizen did not match those found at the scene but authorities believe they are part of the same syndicate.

A taxi-driver witness has informed police that one of the likely thieves, named Antonio Raul Gomez, hired him for a ride across the Thai border in Songkhla province. The suspect was carrying a large travel bag and had donned a disguise that included a fake mole.

Police are seeking an arrest warrant for Antonio, who they believe was transporting the stolen cash out of Thailand.

Deputy commissioner of the Immigration Police Bureau, Police Major General Punsak Kasemsun, disclosed that finger prints taken from the arrested men did not match those found at the crime scene. Police believe, however, that the three are tied to a Colombian crime ring.

The ring of foreign thieves was recently uncovered after police found Thai citizens aiding them in pointing out targets and escape routes.

The three suspects were arrested by police yesterday at their hotel in Krabi province. Evidence has pointed out that all three were residing in Thailand as part of an extensive crime ring.

All of the apprehended were found without passports and have refused to disclose their identities or give any statement.

-- Tan Network 2010-06-11

One article says that the three were freed, the other says they had no passports and refused to answer questions?

[aussiejohn]

this is total bs. no way...nice try though!. when was the last time you heard of a big company like thai mart letting its mid level mgmt tote around 350,000 dollars worth of thai currency in a freaking bag around nana plaza in a pick up truck......no way.....moreover, what kind of moron leaves that much money in a parked car?that is why you see armored trucks everywhere here. anything over 1,000,000 goes in an armored car...and that is broad policy. this story was concocted by thai visa to rile up all you old bored pensioners, or the thai guy is lying(what a notion)...both are equally feesible!?!

!lololololmfao!!!

[joboss]

Who in their right mind keeps 12 million baht sitting unattended in a parked car/truck sitting around the Nana area?

And are we supposed to think this Columbian gang just happened to get lucky and steal a bag from inside a locked pickup truck that just happened to contain 12 million baht???

The whole thing seems more than a bit strange...

Wirat Panyapluattichote, a 44-year-old employee of Thaimart Store, parked his pick-up truck outside the bank on June 4, while he took 5 million baht in cash into the bank to deposit.

When he returned to his truck, he found one of the vehicle's windows had been smashed and a bag containing 12 million baht of Thaimart funds left inside the car had been stolen.

Mr Wirat earlier received the money from an exchange currency trader, Super Rich, on Ratchadamri Road, before going to the bank.

:rolleyes:TIT

[kitski]

That is a bad name for farangs living honestly in Thailand, and really helping Thai people. I don't care how they did it, or if it is possible to triangulate the telephones (by the way, it is, i work on this branch, we produce electronic components, including mobile phones parts). If the police got the right guys, hung them in public. Easy...

However, I won't believe they got the right guys. Smell a setup here...

Edited June 12, 2010 by kitski