SONGKHLA, Thailand – Police in Hat Yai have arrested a 54-year-old former cash transport employee who admitted to stealing nearly 5 million baht from ATMs over a five-year period before fleeing to Malaysia.
The suspect, identified as Mr. Prawit, was wanted under a 2022 arrest warrant for theft from his employer. While responsible for refilling ATMs, he secretly pocketed leftover cash from the machines — taking between 10,000 and 100,000 baht at a time. The thefts went undetected for years, as he replaced the missing money during salary and bonus periods to balance the accounts.
However, when he could no longer cover the missing funds, the bank discovered discrepancies in 2022, leading to his dismissal and subsequent flight to Malaysia. According to police, Prawit secretly returned to Thailand three days ago through a natural border crossing, unable to bear being separated from his girlfriend. Officers tracked him down in the Kho Hong municipality area of Hat Yai and arrested him under the outstanding warrant.
During questioning, he confessed to acting alone, saying he had used the stolen money to pay debts, cover living expenses, and socialize with friends. He expressed remorse for his actions and said his return was motivated purely by longing for his girlfriend. (TNA)
