Cha-Am bank raid that netted 11 million was inside job


Image: Manager Online

CHA-AM: -- Police in Cha-Am Tuesday announced the arrest of a driver of Bangkok Bank who forced a safe at the beach branch in a theft that netted 11 million baht.

Large bags of cash and gold amounting to 5.7 million baht were buried and hidden at two addresses used by the man in the beach resort reported Manager Online.

Some 5.3 million still remains unaccounted for.

The driver said he stole the money after he was upset with the female manager of the branch who had threatened to sack him. He claimed he didn't want the money for himself.

Cha Am police paraded Wichukorn (or Tam) Suttanorm for the press on Friday and carried out a reenactment witnessed by many local people who had heard about the arrest.

He was arrested after CCTV footage was examined. The cameras caught a good image of him and a pick-up truck used in the robbery.

Wichukorn is a driver connected to the Bangkok Bank branch at the Cha-Am intersection but the robbery took place at the smaller branch on the beach on the night of May 9th.

Police had earlier gone to a house in the Cha-Am area where they found 2.2 million baht buried in various bags in the back garden and hidden in the roof. At the driver's wife's house nearby where he lives they also found money stuffed in a bag near a rain water container and contained in a safe.

They also found 40 baht weight of gold hidden in the roof worth 700,000. The total value of all money and gold found was 5.7 million baht.

Wichukorn told police that he acted alone. He was angry with the female manager at the beach branch and originally thought he would shoot her, he said in evidence.

But he changed the plan to stealing money believing that the woman would be transferred. He claimed that he did not need the money for himself and apart from buying the gold he had just spent a bit on some gasoline.

He also claimed that a lot of money was burnt in the robbery as he was unfamiliar with the equipment that he used to break open the safe. A gas canister was also found at his wife's house and taken into evidence.

He has been charged with stealing his employer's money in the hours of darkness.

It was not reported that police are looking for anyone else in connection with the theft.

Source: Manager Online


-- 2016-05-25

Seems about 5 beers short of a six pack.

Somchai Hood, " I didn't want the money for myself ! "

If he wanted to cause problems for the manager there are so many other ways to go but doing the safe ?

Well, La Di Da... somehow this bit of news didn't knocked the cup of coffee out of my hands...

even for a wanna be bank robber you need to have some modicum of brain, and not a Plonker,

in the words of Del boy...

Most compassionate buddhist. Wanted to shoot her but changed his mind and stole money instead. I say off to the temple and be ordained as a monk for 14 days. Then back to driving the bank cash van.

"He has been charged with stealing his employer's money in the hours of darkness."

Apparently according Thai law the crime is more severe if done in darkness, hence the mention of "hours of darkness"...

Who would of thought it ,an inside job

...duhh....

Do I have to say where the missing money went? Finders Fee

He bought 5.7 million in gold, didn't disguise himself, and was going to give the money away. LOL ok bright guy

This guy was apprehended yesterday at the house right next to my wife's restaurant. I walked over to her place to get a bite and found all of these black uniformed cops walking around with loaded automatic weapons. We first thought it was a yaba bust, but she spoke to one of the cops and found out what was going on. They blocked off Khlong Thian Rd, which is one of the main thoroughfares here, until the two senior cops arrived for what would be the U. S. equivalent of the "perp walk", had a table all arranged to "interrogate" him, with the paparazzi snapping away, and he sobbingly recounted his tale of woe. Then on to the set up with the table full of cash. Interesting change of pace for the morning, anyway.

Most compassionate buddhist. Wanted to shoot her but changed his mind and stole money instead. I say off to the temple and be ordained as a monk for 14 days. Then back to driving the bank cash van.

He's a Buddhist? How do you know that?

He bought 5.7 million in gold, didn't disguise himself, and was going to give the money away. LOL ok bright guy

No, he bought 0.7m bahts worth of gold, 700,000B. I wonder if he was bright enough to be able to read?

Wait a minute.....all that cash....on the table...easy to steal during transport somewhere.....

Most compassionate buddhist. Wanted to shoot her but changed his mind and stole money instead. I say off to the temple and be ordained as a monk for 14 days. Then back to driving the bank cash van.

That short-term temple approach certainly has worked for a variety of other folks accused of crimes.

But in this case, with the victim Bangkok Bank and the accused pretty much a nobody, I'm kind of guessing he won't get off so lightly.

Most of the these bank/atm robbery cases are inside jobs, I think...

Most compassionate buddhist. Wanted to shoot her but changed his mind and stole money instead. I say off to the temple and be ordained as a monk for 14 days. Then back to driving the bank cash van.

That is a bit harsh. Surely a Wai and 7 days in a temple is more than enough

Mind of a child. Why do they let these mentally under developed people work in banks?