Suspected Belarussian skimmer gang members arrested in Phuket

[webfact]

Suspected skimmer gang members arrested in Phuket


The two men are introduced to the press by Gen Pachara.

PHUKET: -- Two Belarussians were arrested in Rawai area yesterday (December 25) after allegedly stealing B100,000 from local ATM machines.

Today (December 26) Phuket Police Chief Maj Gen Pachara Boonyasit announced the arrest of the two men, Mikalai Romankou and Siarhei Bandarkou, both 35, who, he said, used phony ATM cards to make illegal cash withdrawals from many different ATM machines in Rawai.

The arrests came after Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) reported that it suspected the two men of using cloned cards to raid other people’s bank accounts.

An SCB representative said that bank records showed the suspects making a cash withdrawal from one ATM machine. They then took the cash to a Western Union desk where they had it cabled to an account in Belarus.

Police arrested the suspects yesterday at 5:30pm in the parking lot of the Rawai Beach Hotel. They seized eight fake ATM cards giving access to private bank accounts in Belarus.

Gen Pachara said that both suspects are already wanted in Bangkok for stealing B1 million in the same fashion.

The two men said they found the eight ATM cards in the toilets at Phuket International Airport, each with the PIN number written on the back. They decided to try them see if they worked.

The duo now face charges of fraud and possession of fake cards for criminal purposes.

If found guilty they face jail sentences of one to 10 years, and possibly also fines of up to B200,000.

An SCB spokesperson told The Phuket News that, as a precaution, all ATM cards for accounts in its branches in Rawai have been suspended. Account holders should take their cards, along with ID cards or passports, to any SCB branch to receive replacement cards.

She noted that the Rawai branches have now run out of replacement cards, but new ones can be obtained from any branch of the bank. The nearest to Rawai is at Chalong Circle.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/suspected-skimmer-gang-members-arrested-in-phuket-50324.php


-- Phuket News 2014-12-26

[hansgruber]

Thanks <deleted>. Wasted 3 hours of Xmas day sorting out a new card.

Hope you get aids in jail.

[cms22]

Thanks <deleted>. Wasted 3 hours of Xmas day sorting out a new card.

Hope you get aids in jail.

Yes, Happy Christmas to you too!

I see the spirit of Christmas is live and well with TV members!

[technologybytes]

Odd that the story says they took 100k and then wired it to belarus by western union.

If you ever tried wiring 100K OUT of Thailand you would understand why this is hard to believe.

[Toscano]

An example of what the EU will be in for if Ukraine ever becomes a member .

[Barin]

Yes, I do agree with you.

Ukrainians and Belarussians share the same mentality and the same way of life. Even their languages are very similar...

[godden]

Scum, hope they die in a Thai jail

[fishhooks]

Let us hope, for those of us not in the Kingdom full time, that we find out on here that these scum spend a very lengthy time in a place in Thailand well known for not having luxury accommodation !!

[razer]

OH ... so Belarusians are farangs. Ok it's clear now.

[gyrosman]

Let's see if I understand this, 8 ATM cards in toliets from Belarussians citizens who threw their cards in a toliet at the airport while on holiday here? Then these 2 guys scam 1 million baht in Bangkok and set free? Now, they scam 100,000 baht and only now go to jail. So, in Thailand you must commit 2 crimes before going to jail correct?

[tgeezer]

An example of what the EU will be in for if Ukraine ever becomes a member .

At least it's a step up from Rumanians lifting manhole covers from roads and copper wire from train signalling systems; a lot less harmful too.

Surely they should be made to show their faces.

Edited December 27, 2014 by tgeezer

[bristolgeoff]

they had 100k by the report,greedy to get more and look you are caught.change it up to dollars or with other farangs.you have 10 years plus to think about it now

[ToddinChonburi]

Make them sit up strait next time during photo.

[louse1953]

Let us hope, for those of us not in the Kingdom full time, that we find out on here that these scum spend a very lengthy time in a place in Thailand well known for not having luxury accommodation !!

Why do you think they come to Thailand to do their skimming,it's to do with the length of time in jail.

[Strangebrew]

Yeah right they found the cards my hairy butt, bet if the police dig a little deeper they find out that the leader lives in Bangkok and has a bar. Also has close ties with certain people in the RTP NANA area Also a cohort of his thinks he is teflon. Any way same same. Glad they caught someone just squeeze a bit more and get to the truth. Oh and while your at it raid the shop on the second floor in fortunetown They sell the blank cards they use.

[enufsaid]

Razor, farang means anyone not a Thai.

[Strangebrew]

Is it me or is that officer flipping the bird in the picture?

[Travel Dude]

Let's make it clear. These are not farang Russians, Belarus people and Ukranians, Romanians etc... are not farang. They have a complete different culture and mindset.

Let's not mix farang up with those people

[rmacee]

You think Ukraine is bad ...well down the scale compared to Albania. Been to both ..

[whiteman]

who is the dude in the white shirt on the right his moment in the sun no doubt ( no medels on his chest yet )

[wabothai]

Actually, Farang are only French, the rest are foreigners.

[maximillian]

Let's make it clear. These are not farang Russians, Belarus people and Ukranians, Romanians etc... are not farang. They have a complete different culture and mindset.

Let's not mix farang up with those people

Utter BS.

Wouldn't like to mix with Travel Dudes either. Ignorant chauvinist.

[steelepulse]

The General looks pissed.

[ExPratt]

There is some Scum out there. Rob the Bank not ordinary people with Bank accounts. An old fella I knew in Malaysia got one of those ATM card scam calls, poor old Sod lost 5000RM, which was pretty much all he had.

10 years please Your Honour

[tezzainthailand]

Thanks <deleted>. Wasted 3 hours of Xmas day sorting out a new card.

Hope you get aids in jail.

Yes, Happy Christmas to you too!

I see the spirit of Christmas is live and well with TV members!

And the spirit out of Christmas evaporated for the many who lost money all because of this bunch of criminal trash.

[Bogan Koori]

These Russians are getting worse than the Nigerian scammers

[Roel]

An example of what the EU will be in for if Ukraine ever becomes a member .

Indeed. The Bulgarians and Albanians will face some serious competition then.

[Cats4ever]

Let's make it clear. These are not farang Russians, Belarus people and Ukranians, Romanians etc... are not farang. They have a complete different culture and mindset.

Let's not mix farang up with those people

They are farangs. Farangs are all people of European appearance.

[ChiangmaiRob]

Let's see if I understand this, 8 ATM cards in toliets from Belarussians citizens who threw their cards in a toliet at the airport while on holiday here? Then these 2 guys scam 1 million baht in Bangkok and set free? Now, they scam 100,000 baht and only now go to jail. So, in Thailand you must commit 2 crimes before going to jail correct?

No, they were wanted in BKK for similar offences, they were never actually caught. Try reading the story next time!

Edited December 27, 2014 by ChiangmaiRob

[Pib]

If found guilty they face jail sentences of one to 10 years, and possibly also fines of up to B200,000.

Or, instead of above max penalty they just get deported, blacklisted, and fined Bt20,000 or less. However, Thailand will probably see them back in a year under new passports with different names. Thailand is such a great place to vacation and work for criminals.