Mentally ill and starving girl snatches cash from victim at Buriram ATM
A Thai woman forgave a thief who snatched 1,800 baht from her at an ATM in Buriram province, after finding the girl suffered from mental illness and was living in poverty.
The 49 year old victim, identified as Yuad, called officers from Prakhonchai Police Station to investigate theft at an ATM outside a bank in Prakhonchai district after the incident. Police said they arrived to find the suspect, named Nuch, standing next to Yuad while gripping the cash tightly.
Yoad told officers she rode her motorcycle to the ATM to withdraw money and did not realise Nuch had been watching her from behind during the transaction. She said that after she took the money from the machine, Nuch approached and grabbed it.
She said she tried to pull the banknotes back but was unable to. Nuch’s mother also attempted to persuade her daughter to return the cash, but she refused, prompting Yuad to call police.
Officers took Yuad, Nuch and Nuch’s mother to the police station. Police said Nuch continued to hold the cash tightly until they arrived at the station and repeated requests for her to return it were unsuccessful.
Police said a scuffle broke out when officers and the victim tried to remove the cash from the teenager’s hands. The money was eventually recovered, but some banknotes were torn during the attempt.
Nuch’s mother told police her daughter had been receiving treatment and medication for mental illness. She said hot weather and hunger may have triggered symptoms, adding that they had been on their way to a temple to ask monks for food and drinks before the incident.
After hearing the family’s explanation, Yuad said she would not take legal action against the mentally ill suspect, adding that she felt sorry for the teenager and had already received her money back.
Police said Nuch was taken to hospital for a medical examination to confirm her mental condition. If the results confirm a mental illness, police said she would be released without charge.
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