Thief nabbed for using forgotten ATM card to fund cigarette hustle

A seasoned criminal with a history of theft was apprehended yesterday by Metropolitan Police Division 1 for stealing an ATM card and using it to buy cigarettes for resale. A 46 year old man was arrested based on a warrant issued by the Criminal Court on charges of theft.

The arrest followed an incident where a victim reported forgetting their debit card at an ATM inside a shopping mall in the Pratunam area. Subsequently, they received multiple notifications on their mobile phones about transactions made at another shopping mall totalling over 10,000 baht (US$270). This prompted the victim to file a complaint with the police.

Prapat was apprehended at a bus stop in front of a shopping mall in the Rangsit area, along the parallel route of Phaholyothin Road in Lam Luk Ka district, Pathum Thani province. A background check revealed that in 2016, he had been arrested on a theft charge and had been apprehended by investigation officers from Phaya Thai Police Station.

After posting bail during the investigation, he fled. In 2020, he was arrested again for violating the Emergency Decree, detained by police officers from the Chulalongkorn Water Gate Police Station, and faced legal proceedings.

During interrogation, the suspect confessed to scouting ATMs in various locations, such as Khao San Road, Pratunam, CentralWorld, and other tourist-heavy areas. He would look for forgotten debit cards at ATMs and then use them to purchase cigarettes, which he would resell.

He admitted to committing this crime at least 10 times, each time netting approximately 10,000 baht. The most recent offence occurred at the end of April. Following his capture, police searched his residence, where they found and seized over 50 packs of cigarettes intended for sale, reported Sanook.

The police caution the public that if they become aware of a stolen debit card, the first action should be to contact the bank and have the card blocked immediately. They should also check their account for unauthorised transactions and report the theft to pursue legal action against the perpetrator, even if it is someone known to them or a family member.