Armed robber makes off with 160,000 baht from Phuket Tesco

Bank robberies are generally violent affairs, with lots of drama, some shots fired, and an injury or death. But this wasn’t the case when a stick-up occurred yesterday afternoon at a Tesco Lotus department store in Phuket.

The cheeky armed robber wandered into the store in the Rawai area of Muang district shortly before 1pm and casually made off with 160,000 baht in cash as if he had just been shopping.

The robbery took everybody by surprise. So much so that the security guard, Tarakorn, thought the man, named Wiwat, who was wearing a black cap, grey v-neck t-shirt, and three-quarter shorts, had come to exchange some money.

“At first, I thought that it was a customer who would come to exchange money. I didn’t mind anything. But when I turned to look again, I saw the assailant pointing a gun at an employee demanding cash.”

The 43 year old robber made his escape on a red Honda Wave scooter, with his number plates covered by a plastic bag, down Wiset Road, and turned into Soi Suksan 1.

Police finally closed in on the thief, after tracking CCTV footage, and arrested the accused at Karon Subdistrict not far from the robbery.

Wiwat confessed to stealing the money, adding he needed the money to pay off his debts. He also admitted the gun belonged to his family.

SOURCE: Khaosod Khaosod