Navy officer charged for armed bank robbery in Phuket Town

PHUKET: Police arrested a Royal Thai Navy officer yesterday for the armed robbery of a Phuket Town bank.

The suspect, petty officer Sahapracha Chadawong, allegedly made off with about 470,000 baht from the Krungthai Bank branch on Sakdidet Road on Friday afternoon (story here).

After threatening a bank teller with a firearm and exiting the building, the suspect fired one shot into the air, then fled by motorbike.

“Investigators found CCTV footage of the suspect entering the Royal Thai Navy Area 3 base in Cape Panwa,” explained Region 8 Police Commander Tesa Siriwato. “We coordinated our efforts with Royal Thai Navy Third Area Commander Sayan Prasongsamrej.”

Mr Sahapracha was hit with a slew of charges: theft with a firearm, illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, carrying a firearm in public without permission, discharging a firearm in public without permission and using a vehicle to evade arrest.

— Kritsada Mueanhawong