Staffer at Phuket Chevrolet dealership arrested after pocketing B1.2mn

PHUKET: Police arrested an employee of a Chevrolet dealership in Phuket after the man made off with more than 1.2 million baht of company cash.

Somkit “Roon” Yukunthorn, a 27-year-old Phuket native, worked faithfully for about a year as a messenger for VST Autosales 2002 Co Ltd, the Chevrolet dealership on the bypass road.

But last Friday he failed to make a cash bank deposit of 1,231,199 baht given to him by the company.

After learning the hard way that the over a million-baht deposit had not been made, the manager at Chevrolet called the police.

“We found out that Mr Somkit was hiding at the Phuket Pai Resort in Baan Sakoo [near Phuket International Airport], in Thalang, where he was staying as a guest,” Phuket City Police Deputy Superintendent Prawit Engchuan explained.

“A team of officers and I moved in and arrested him there at about 3:30pm yesterday,” Lt Col Prawit said.

The officers also arrested Mr Somkit’s friend Kriangkrai “Boy” Khaengrang, 29, at a rented room in Kathu.

Police seized more than 700,000 baht cash, a gold bracelet and a brand-new Honda motorcycle as evidence.

“Mr Somkit confessed that he stole the 1,231,199 baht from the company,” Col Prawit said.

“Mr Somkit and Mr Kriangkrai spent the money on drugs, girls, a motorcycle, a gold bracelet, staying at the resort and eating out,” Col Prawit said.

Mr Somkit was charged with theft and Mr Kriangkrai was charged with receiving the stolen property.

— Kritsada Mueanhawong