Suspect Athit Sangprasert
shows police how he allegedly helped steal millions of baht from a
Pattaya automated-teller machine.
Boonlua
Police have arrested one of five men who allegedly used a
blowtorch to steal millions of baht from a Pattaya automated-teller
machine.
Athit Sangprasert, 32, was captured May 1 at his home in Pathumthani.
Region 2 police recovered 200,000 baht in slightly singed 1,000-baht
notes, along with welding equipment and the black Honda CR-V identified
in security-camera footage at the Siam Commercial Bank ATM outside
S-Concrete Co. of Sukhumvit Road.
Three other suspects remain at large in the April 29 heist, although
police said they have identified all three men and have issued arrest
warrants.
Police had Athit re-enact the burglary in front of 50 officers and the
media May 2. The suspect showed how the crew backed their Honda close to
the ATM, moved the closed-circuit television camera with a long stick,
then strung a welding tube through the keyhole of the ATM cabinet and
fired it up with a gas canister in the car.
The operation took 40 minutes and, in the end, the thieves escaped with
two bags of cash containing 5 million baht.
The same burglars are suspected to have committed four other ATM
robberies in Bangkok, but were never caught. Region 2 police officials
praised Pattaya and Nongprue station officers for their quick work.
Phaithun Suttiprapha, 36, a security guard at the concrete company, said
he saw four men with their faces covered dragging equipment away from
the ATM, which is located about five meters from the front door. He said
he assumed they were technicians there to service the machine and did
not pay any mind until he saw them fire up the welding gear to cut
through the lock.
Region 2 Maj. Gen. Khatcha Thatsart said police have repeatedly warned
banks not to locate ATMs in narrow alleys as they are difficult for
police to patrol. He said banks also should install cameras and alarms
to immediately notify law enforcement of break-ins.
