Theft of rejected coins from phone top-up machine at Central Pattaya store

PATTAYA: -- A warning has been issued to those who use the orange colored mobile phone top-up machines, located outside 24 hour convenience stores, as a gang is thought to be operating in the Pattaya area, whereby they block the coin refund slot and take the money for themselves. Police were called to a 7-Eleven Store located on the corner of Soi 35 on Pattaya Third Road to inspect security camera footage of a man who is believed to be part of a gang who are suspected of stealing rejected coins from the machines, by placing a piece of sponge inside the rejected coin slot and then returning later in the day to retrieve the rejected coins. The store had received numerous complaints from customers that the machines were not returning coins rejected by the machines and soon realized what was going on. They caught the suspected thief on camera at 21.47 on Friday Night who began by pretending to use the machine. He was then seen to remove the sponge and take the rejected coins which had accumulated throughout the day.

Full story and pictures HERE

-- Pattaya One 2011-12-10

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That old stick a piece of gum in the slot and collect the coins later gag? I have not heard about that in years.

That old stick a piece of gum in the slot and collect the coins later gag? I have not heard about that in years.

This is the old stuff something in the return slot, just as old. Almost got caught with this one in the 70's, removed the blockage and made a profit.

UPDATE

Rejected Coin Thief suspect caught by Pattaya Police

PATTAYA: -- A man suspected of stealing rejected coins from mobile phone top-up machines located outside of 24 convenience stores has now been arrested by Pattaya Police. On 10th December we featured a story which showed a man, who looked remarkably similar to the one arrested on Wednesday Night, using a piece of sponge to prevent customers who use the orange colored phone top-up machines, from receiving back rejected coins. Thanks to some alert staff at a 7-Eleven convenience store at the corner of Soi 35 on Pattaya Third Road, who spotted the suspect acting suspiciously in front of the machine, the Police were called and thanks to their swift response, Khun Ra-iet aged 40 was detained pending a search which uncovered items commonly used to undertake the theft of the coins.

Full story and pictures HERE

-- Pattaya One 2011-12-15

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