Two Russian ATM skimming suspects arrested in Thailand

[breaker]

100% that their names are not Russians and not Ukrainians.
May be, police changed their names.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Curious...this other version of the OP ThaiPBS report says a tourist police officer WAS ARRESTED.

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/russian-skimming-gang-might-involve-atm-skimming-bangkok/

Can't tell if this version is earlier or later than the OP version in this thread...that had (apparently very incorrectly) the tourist police officer arresting the two supposed Russians.

But as of my posting now, the OP version that has the tourist police officer making the arrest is still posted on the ThaiPBS website, and hasn't been changed or deleted.

Wonder how or why the skimming gang wanted/needed to have a Thai tourist police officer involved??? Perhaps he was their "tour" guide...

Edited November 18, 2013 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[MaiChai]

Betime Thai implement smart card/chip and pin?

[FarangTalk]

The Thai tourist Police officer was in collusion with the two foreigners.

Illegal activity does not go on for long anywhere in Thailand without the Thai Police being involved directly or indirectly.

[webfact]

UPDATE:
Cop, Russians held in ATM scam
Prasit Tangprasert
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- A THAI POLICEMAN and two Russians have been arrested for their alleged role in a big ATM-skimming gang, said to have obtained over Bt1 billion over the past year.

"The [Russian] suspects have been active in the country for about one year, during which the damage is over Bt1 billion," Immigration Division 4 Office chief Pol Maj-General Chatchai Iamsaeng said yesterday.

Police were now trying to reclaim the money, he said.

Pol Senior Sgt-Major Nontapan Saengsuk, 37, a member of the Tourist Police division, had more than Bt2.8 million cash in his car at the time of his arrest on Sunday night. A search showed there were more than 200 fake credit cards and ATM cards in his vehicle too.

This officer was nabbed in Nakhon Ratchasima's Muang district shortly after the arrests of Vasilii Ivanov and Sergei Peternev at an ATM in front of the Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Hall.

Plainclothes police noticed the two Russians acting suspiciously and searched them. The search showed the pair had more than 100 credit cards and ATM cards on them. During the search, a Toyota Wish almost stopped by but suddenly sped away.

The two Russians then told the arresting officers that the vehicle driven by Nontapan was supposed to pick them up.

Police later intercepted the vehicle and arrested Nontapan.

The three suspects confessed that they had been using the fake cards to withdraw cash.

Provincial Police Region 3 chief Lt-General Thirasak Klinpongsa yesterday announced the arrests of the three suspects.

"We had assigned plainclothes officers to keep watch on ATMs after receiving a tip-off that a Russian ATM skimming gang had come to Nakhon Ratchasima," Thirasak said.

According to the police, whose probe is ongoing, Nontapan in fact nabbed the two Russians before but accepted a bribe and ended up being their accomplice.

"The two Russians said they offered him an amount of money equivalent to 10 per cent of the withdrawal cash if he served as their driver during their operation," Thirasak alleged.

Nontapan said he did not know how the Russians acquired the ATM and credit cards.

"I drove him around many times before. When other policemen flagged us down on a road, I could easily claim that I was about to drive these tourists back to their hotel," Nontapan said.

The two Russians told police that most fake cards in their possession targeted foreign victims. They said they acquired the cards from other foreigners.

Police are investigating the case further. They suspect the pair are members of a big ATM skimming gang.


-- The Nation 2013-11-19

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

According to the police, whose probe is ongoing, Nontapan in fact nabbed the two Russians before but accepted a bribe and ended up being their accomplice.

From the latest news report above, it sounds like the police in Nakon Ratchasima actually engaged in REAL police work.... as opposed to the NORMAL Thai kind of "police work" engaged in by this guy and like-minded BIB.

Pretty amazing that this guy actually was caught, held and publicly exposed by his peers. Obviously, he made a big mistake by consorting with foreign crooks, instead of simply keeping things inhouse.

[PeterSmiles]

According to the police, whose probe is ongoing, Nontapan in fact nabbed the two Russians before but accepted a bribe and ended up being their accomplice.

From the latest news report above, it sounds like the police in Nakon Ratchasima actually engaged in REAL police work.... as opposed to the NORMAL Thai kind of "police work" engaged in by this guy and like-minded BIB.

Pretty amazing that this guy actually was caught, held and publicly exposed by his peers. Obviously, he made a big mistake by consorting with foreign crooks, instead of simply keeping things inhouse.

Pretty amazing that this guy actually was caught, held and publicly exposed by his peers.

He probably didn't want to share with his peers .

[lostmebike]

According to the police, whose probe is ongoing, Nontapan in fact nabbed the two Russians before but accepted a bribe and ended up being their accomplice.

From the latest news report above, it sounds like the police in Nakon Ratchasima actually engaged in REAL police work.... as opposed to the NORMAL Thai kind of "police work" engaged in by this guy and like-minded BIB.

Pretty amazing that this guy actually was caught, held and publicly exposed by his peers. Obviously, he made a big mistake by consorting with foreign crooks, instead of simply keeping things inhouse.

Pretty amazing that this guy actually was caught, held and publicly exposed by his peers.

He probably didn't want to share with his peers .

And that's probably the truth behind his naming and shaming. 'Didn't share with us so let's let him rot with the farang!'

[super22k]

How can these people steal money from ordinary,day to day people.Old people.People who have worked hard.Youngsters starting out in life. How can they sleep at night? Do they not have any personal pride and standards?

I believe there are two kinds of money. Good and Bad.If you get money working,showing initiative and and doing good then good luck and good fortune will follow.If you get it through stealing,as with ATM skimming, it will bring bad luck and misfortune.A message to all ATM skimmers------You are all patheticno-hopers.

[sydneyjed]

Yes the 2 Italians were kidnapped a couple of months back in a scam involving some Thonglor police if I'm not mistaken...now hey presto another one turns out to be in on a ATM scam...A worry isn't it and certainly doesn't look good which ever way you look at it!

[mok199]

dude, Putin called he wants the money you owe him.''NOW''

[nycjoe]

It is recommend that you withdraw from an atm that has eyes on it 24/7. Inside a bank if possible. or a shopping mall.

[Coca Cola]

If you are taken by force and forced to withdraw money from an ATM machine, you enter you pin number backwards. You will still receive the funds. The machine automatically alerts the local police who know your location. But this is Thailand who knows? A little off topic but very relevant.

I can also tell you how to get into your car if you have locked the keys inside with remote, but have a copy of remote with a friend and a cell phone..

ROFL